Waiting list woe for GPs

GENERAL practitioners say they routinely make referrals to public hospitals without knowing if their patients are being placed on waiting lists.

The Bulletin this week revealed a five-year-old Bonogin girl waited almost two years to see an eye specialist at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital only to learn she had never been placed on a waiting list.

The bungle has highlighted the lack of a uniform approach to referrals in Queensland, with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) calling for the introduction of a statewide digital system.

“A better referral system is much needed,” RACGP Queensland chair Dr Edwin Kruys said. “We are working with Queensland Health on a new digital referral system and one thing we would like to see is an immediate acknowledgment (that a referral has been received).

“At present GPs don’t always get one. Sometimes we do. Sometimes we don’t …

“We also want the patient to get similar feedback … (Scarlett’s) was a very sad case and a new system should make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the new system would provide “real time” access to referral information.

“Queensland Health is committed to improving the interface between GPs and public hospitals to ensure Queenslanders have access to the best health care possible,” the spokesperson said.