QLD to publish surgery waiting times

Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the government will publish how long people are waiting to get on surgery waiting lists in an effort to "force a change in culture" in the system.

Springborg said he hoped the move would help clear a backlog of about 200,000 Queenslanders waiting to see specialists.

The government will regularly publish the amount of time people are waiting to see specialists, elective surgery waiting lists and dental waiting lists, he said.

"Those things have never been published before regularly and updated," Springborg told ABC Radio this morning.

"Our elective surgery waiting times once you get in to see your specialist are pretty good in Queensland.

"The issue is actually the number of people who are waiting to get in to see the specialists."

Springborg said patients' details wouldn't be published but the initiative would provide a level of transparency not seen before in the state's health system.

"We believe this will actually force a very, very serious change in culture and address some of these things," he said.

AAP

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