Jackie Trad Queenslanders - Occupational Therapy …€¦ · Thank you for your letter regarding...
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Jackie Trad DEPUTY PREMIER OF OUEENSLAND Putting Queenslanders Mr John Trent Queensland Divisional Manager Dr Kieran Broome Queensland Divisional Chair Occupational Therapy Australia PO Box 591 COORPAROO QLD By email: [email protected] Dear Dr Broome and Mr Trent, Thank you for your letter regarding the priorities you and your members have for the upcoming election. I am responding on behalf of the Palaszczuk Government. We respect and appreciate the professionalism and dedication of Occupational Therapists and the great work you do in supporting the health of Queenslanders. After giving consideration to your concerns about WorkCover's Return to Work (RTW) Services Provider Panel, I am pleased to advise that a re-elected Palaszczuk Government commits to deliver an increase in the number of Occupational Therapists on the panel. To achieve this, a new process will be commenced, in full consultation with Occupational Therapy Australia, to ensure better coverage across the state. The Palaszczuk Government is committed to evidence-based policy and will ensure appropriate consultation is undertaken with your organisation on any future matters of importance to your members. When our government came to office in 2015, our health system was stretched, morale was low and frontline health staff had been sacked. Though the Newman-Nicholls Government had told health workers they had nothing to fear and their jobs were safe, this was clearly untrue. As Treasurer, Tim Nicholls was the driving force behind the LNP's cut, sack and sell agenda, with 4,400 health jobs slashed, including nearly 1,400 nursing, 700 allied health positions and 50 doctors not to mention thousands of temporary workers who were shown the door. Having taken an axe to the hospital system, Tim Nicholls then went after the community health sector. Community health organisations were defunded and gagged, resulting in even more job losses and, tragically, a loss of much-needed advocates and services across the state. The Palaszczuk Government has worked hard to rebuild our health system from this damage. Our government has employed more than 7,000 additional frontline health staff, including 41,60 additional nurses working with safe patient ratios, more than 1,600 additional doctors and an additional 1200 allied health professionals since we came to office. Labig
Transcript of Jackie Trad Queenslanders - Occupational Therapy …€¦ · Thank you for your letter regarding...
Jackie Trad DEPUTY PREMIER OF OUEENSLAND
Putting Queenslanders
Mr John Trent Queensland Divisional Manager Dr Kieran Broome Queensland Divisional Chair Occupational Therapy Australia PO Box 591 COORPAROO QLD
By email: [email protected]
Dear Dr Broome and Mr Trent,
Thank you for your letter regarding the priorities you and your members have for the upcoming election. I am responding on behalf of the Palaszczuk Government.
We respect and appreciate the professionalism and dedication of Occupational Therapists and the great work you do in supporting the health of Queenslanders.
After giving consideration to your concerns about WorkCover's Return to Work (RTW) Services Provider Panel, I am pleased to advise that a re-elected Palaszczuk Government commits to deliver an increase in the number of Occupational Therapists on the panel.
To achieve this, a new process will be commenced, in full consultation with Occupational Therapy Australia, to ensure better coverage across the state.
The Palaszczuk Government is committed to evidence-based policy and will ensure appropriate consultation is undertaken with your organisation on any future matters of importance to your members.
When our government came to office in 2015, our health system was stretched, morale was low and frontline health staff had been sacked. Though the Newman-Nicholls Government had told health workers they had nothing to fear and their jobs were safe, this was clearly untrue.
As Treasurer, Tim Nicholls was the driving force behind the LNP's cut, sack and sell agenda, with 4,400 health jobs slashed, including nearly 1,400 nursing, 700 allied health positions and 50 doctors not to mention thousands of temporary workers who were shown the door.
Having taken an axe to the hospital system, Tim Nicholls then went after the community health sector. Community health organisations were defunded and gagged, resulting in even more job losses and, tragically, a loss of much-needed advocates and services across the state.
The Palaszczuk Government has worked hard to rebuild our health system from this damage. Our government has employed more than 7,000 additional frontline health staff, including 41,60 additional nurses working with safe patient ratios, more than 1,600 additional doctors and an additional 1200 allied health professionals since we came to office.
Labig
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We have committed to grow our workforce across the next term of government with 3,500 additional nursing and midwifery positions, including an additional 100 midwives to be recruited immediately and 400 Nurse Navigator positions will be created across our Hospital and Health Services.
Our commitment to frontline services in health is a reflection of our government's values and priorities. In this year's budget our allocation for the health portfolio is a record $16.55 billion, a substantial 21.5 per cent increase on the final health budget delivered by the LNP.
When the Palaszczuk Government came to office, the number of Queenslanders left languishing on the specialist outpatient waiting list longer than clinically recommended was more than 104,000. As at July 1 this year, as a result of our $361 million Specialist Outpatient Strategy, the number had fallen to 38,447 — an improvement of 63 per cent. The results for elective surgery are equally strong, with targets for elective surgery wait time being exceeded in all categories — the best result ever recorded in Queensland.
We have committed a further $154 million to this strategy to ensure patients will continue to have access to safe, quality health care when and where needed.
Labor governments have proudly invested almost $10 billion in our public hospital system over the past two decades. Our hospital infrastructure plan is back on track with major refurbishments planned, underway or completed for hospitals across the state.
A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will invest $679 million under its South-East Queensland — Planning for Growth program for the major refurbishment of the Caboolture hospital, the Logan hospital (including $12.6 million over the next three years for the Logan maternity ward) and stage one of the Ipswich hospital redevelopment.
In regional Queensland, we will continue our program to expand and refurbish hospitals and health facilities through the Enhancing Regional Hospitals Program, Advancing Queensland Health Infrastructure and Priority Capital Works Program. These projects will improve services and create local jobs.
Projects include new or substantial refurbishments at Atherton, Blackall, Cairns, Kingaroy and Nannbour hospitals. In partnership with the Cancer Council Queensland we will refurbish the accommodation lodges for regional cancer patients in Townsville and Herston in Brisbane. A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will also finalise business cases for refurbished or new hospitals in Bundaberg and Toowoomba.
Our government's first term has been one of delivery and achievement — a fact nowhere more evident than in the performance of the health system.
On November 25 Queenslanders have a clear choice between stable good government under Labor, or the cuts and chaos of the LNP. Labor believes that open and constructive dialogue is central to delivering good government. A re-elected Palaszczuk Government is committed to consulting with you, and all health system stakeholders, on matters of importance to your members.
Yo rs sincerely
irifift/ JAI KIE ' D MP DE UTY 'REMIER Minister for Transport and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
