The Gold Coast Health 2015-16 annual report paints a picture of enormous outpatient growth, unprecedented activity in its emergency departments and waiting times slashed.
The annual report, tabled in State Parliament today, documents an annual operating budget of almost $1.29 billion and massive growth in patients and services since the opening of Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) in September 2013.
With more than 8640 staff, Gold Coast Health is the city’s largest employer.
Gold Coast Health Board Chairman Mr Ian Langdon said as services and resources expanded, and with the service assuming the role of a full trauma centre, fewer people were forced to travel to Brisbane to access specialist health care.
“The year’s highlights included a balanced budget, excluding property value gains, and better results in key performance areas such as emergency treatment times and elective surgery long waiting lists,” Mr Langdon said.
“Our health service made tremendous progress with outpatient activity increasing from 530,000 in 2013-14 to 835,000 in the past financial year.”
The increase in demand is also reflected in emergency department attendances, which have grown from 125,744 patients three years ago to 161,385 in 2015-16, with the GCUH emergency department the busiest in Queensland.
“There have been great outcomes for our emergency departments at both Robina Hospital and GCUH, with 79 percent of patients seen within four hours of their ED arrival,” Mr Langdon said.
“Growth has continued in critical areas with increased hospital bed capacity and new, expanded or remodelled services, and a record number of theatre operations treated within clinically recommended timeframes.
“With such huge service and patient growth, I am proud of our amazing staff. They are innovative, provide excellent clinical outcomes and most importantly, care for their patients.”
Download the annual report.
Members of the community are invited to discuss Gold Coast Health’s 2015-16 performance at a community forum to be hosted by Ian Langdon at GCUH Pathology and Education Building at 10.30am on Wednesday, 19 October.
