We acknowledge there are various contributing factors to ambulance ramping.
Ramping occurs when patient flow through a hospital is impeded, meaning patients arriving at EDs via Ambulance cannot be transferred into the care of the ED in a timely way.
On arrival to our hospitals, no patient is ever without care – either from a paramedic or ED doctor or nurse – and even at Queensland's busiest EDs, all Category 1 patients with imminently life-threatening conditions are seen immediately.
But demand is increasing faster than population growth. Patients are presenting with more complex and chronic conditions. Access to residential aged care and disability care is not keeping pace with demand. Costs of private healthcare is rising and many Queenslanders are struggling to access primary care.
We acknowledge the significant work already done or underway. The Putting Patients First plan, new infrastructure including the Satellite Hospitals, the work of our Queensland Ambulance Service clinical hub, initiatives to get long-stay patients out of hospitals, the Surgery Connect program to reduce elective surgery wait lists, and many others.
Today's meeting provided a forum to expand on those programs and initiatives, and generate ideas for further improvement.
The meeting agreed on five key initial initiatives, accompanied by an initial investment of $20 million, that will be progressed immediately. These are:
- Immediately increase the availability of nursing care in Emergency Departments with focus on triage and waiting room nursing support that will allow the faster transfer of patients from ambulances to the care of EDs.
- Funding dedicated senior doctors to act as "Medical Commanders" managing the flow of patients from ambulances to the emergency department.
- Expanding Rapid Access Services and Surgical Assessment Units to improve patient flows within our EDs.
- Increased access to imaging through extended hours of operation after hours and on weekends.
- Working with General Practices so that they can employ Patient Care Facilitators to keep Queenslanders out of hospital.
The Minister will meet weekly with the A/Director-General and senior clinicians to drive rapid implementation of these initiatives and ensure accountability.
