Qld: Surgery plan labelled a band aid solution

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2007
Qld: Surgery plan labelled a band aid solution

Doctors and the Queensland opposition say a move by the state government to pay for
elective surgery in private hospitals .. is a band-aid solution to cut waiting lists.

Opposition health spokesman JOHN-PAUL LANGBROEK says if the government can afford to
pay for the surgeries .. it could prevented a waiting list blow-out in the first place.

And the AMA's Queensland president-elect .. ROSS CARTMILL .. says morale will suffer
at public hospitals as a result of the policy.

Health Minister STEPHEN ROBERTSON'S announced the state government will throw the surgery
waiting lists open to tender.

The move allows around 10 thousand Queensland public hospital patients to have their
operations sooner .. at a cost of 8.5 million dollars.

AAP RTV rad/pjo/wf/bart

KEYWORD: SURGERY (BRISBANE)

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