The Minister may continue to try to blame the profession or claim that costs are rising too fast and can't be met. The facts do not support this either. The health system is very efficient. Many hospitals do not have world class diagnostic and treatment facilities in order to attract and keep staff. There are surgeons who are suitably qualified and are available but have not been employed because of funding shortfalls.
Hospital management is questionable.
The waiting list at that hospital has increased from 1,200 to 6,000. In Townsville, the only non-emergency surgery on a Friday is day surgery. There are surgeons employed in public hospitals not working full time because of lack of operating room facilities. A relatively small increase in funding directed to keeping operating rooms open would virtually eliminate Queensland's waiting list without the need to employ one more surgeon. Bob Carr achieved this temporarily in NSW when he first came to office.