Health workers, patients under mould threat with LNP cuts
- Queensland Labor Opposition
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Whistleblowers reveal LNP to cut critical mould fix at Prince Charles Hospital
New photos show the extent of mould at the hospital
Labor calling for cuts to be reversed and mould problem fixed
Action to fix mould issues at the Prince Charles Hospital has been cancelled by the Crisafulli Government putting health workers and patients at risk, whistleblowers have revealed.
Labor has been informed the LNP Government will take an axe to rectification work aimed at addressing mould that has appeared in the hospital’s storage rooms despite issues not yet being resolved.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles is calling on David Crisafulli to order his Health Minister to listen to concerned whistleblowers and reinstate the contract with new images showing mould still being present at the hospital.
When reports emerged last year, Labor took immediate action ordering Queensland Health to investigate and undertake any necessary works following high fungal counts in a storage room at the Prince Charles Hospital.
An interim investigation found the high count was caused by air conditioning being at the wrong temperature and maintenance issues with air filters.
If the program is axed, it’ll be the latest in a series of cuts by the Crisafulli Government, including the axing of the Townsville University Hospital Expansion and incentives to attract critical frontline health workers to remote and regional parts of the state.
Quotes attributable to Opposition Leader Steven Miles:
“For a whistleblower to come forward and release photos is a very serious and brave thing to do, and the Premier cannot dismiss their concerns.
“The last thing a patient, nurse, doctor or worker at a hospital needs is being exposed to mould.
“Yet, true to form, the LNP has taken a scalpel to these serious rectification works, despite mould still being present at the Prince Charles Hospital.
“The health of Queenslanders and our hospital system is too important for the LNP’s austerity agenda.”
ENDS