State and federal politicians in stoush over hospital funding

Federal MP Andrew Laming cited figures that showed state funding for Metro South Hospital and Health Service – which includes Redland Hospital – had dropped by nearly $40 million.

The National Health Reform public hospital funding data showed the Queensland government had provided $1.04 billion to the Metro South district in 2017-18, compared to $1.08 billion in 2016-17.

It states the Commonwealth funding increased from $586 million in 2016-17 to $669 million in the last financial year.

But Health Minister Steven Miles said the state government had increased funding to Metro South to $2.408 billion in 2018-19, almost $93 million more than the previous year.

He lashed back at the federal government, saying it was ripping $156 million out of the Queensland hospital budget.

“Some of this money is for procedures that were performed two prime ministers ago but because it has been cut this year it has to come from hospital budgets this year,” Mr Miles said.

“The charts are closed, the patients discharged and the money’s been spent but the Morrison government doesn’t want to pay the bill for the work our doctors and nurses have already done and that will mean fewer services this year.”

Mr Miles said in Parliament on Tuesday that members like Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson were not concerned about the cuts.

“The member for Oodgeroo could not care less about the $1 million being cut from Redland Hospital,” Mr Miles said.

“I know the Labor members from there are.”

Mr Laming said the 3.6 per cent reduction in state funding, reflected in the NHR data, was the largest threat to health care in Bowman.

He said state MPs Don Brown and Kim Richards should work for free until the $39.2 million was restored.

“They should donate their salary to the hospital because they don’t deserve to be taking a public wage while they take from our local hospital service,” Mr Laming said.

The federal MP said the state government was bleeding the hospital dry while diverting money for politically preferred hospitals like Logan and Caboolture.

Mr Laming said federal government funding for the Metro South region had increased by $181 million, about 45 per cent, since 2012-13.

“The only things holding Redland Hospital together are the incredible staff and an extra $83.4 million delivered by the federal Coalition,” he said.

“Without the extra investment from Canberra, state Labor’s cuts would be to the bone.

“Our nurses would not be paid their salary, the lights would be out and operation lists would be cancelled.”

Capalaba MP Don Brown said the federal government was leaving hospitals across Brisbane south in the lurch.

“It’s clear the Morrison government isn’t thinking about the community and the hardworking staff in the health services who are affected most,” Mr Brown said.

Mr Miles said Queensland government’s funding had increased year-on-year since 2015.

“The 2017-18 funding table does not include a range of services that we fund and some areas that were moved out of activity based funding between 2016-17 and 2017-18,” Mr Miles said.

”We have provided more money – it is simply not true to say the state has provided less.”

Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson said he was appalled that that the state government had cut funding to Redland Hospital.

“The state government was recently caught out trying to cut the palliative care beds from Redland Hospital, and Redland residents would be shocked if that does happen as a result of the recent review,” Mr Robinson said.

“While the hospitals at Logan, Ipswich, Caboolture and Nambour all received major upgrades worth hundreds of millions of dollars, Redland Hospital got an infrastructure freeze.”