Fears hundreds of patients missed test results, critical care

Queensland Health has launched an investigation into urology services at Townsville University Hospital, with fears hundreds of patients have missed critical care and diagnostic testing over a three-year period.

The investigation was commissioned by Queensland Health director-general Dr David Rosengren under Part 9 of the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011.

It was prompted by concerns about delays between the initial referral and diagnosis of patients, and the ongoing treatment of urology patients from 2022 until the end of July this year.

Rosengren said this includes reports of patients not being contacted about test results, “which we regret and for which I apologise”.

Urology services offered at Townsville University Hospital cover a range of conditions of the urinary tract, including cancers of the kidneys, bladder, prostate and testes.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service acting chief executive Rex O’Rourke said the hospital review identified 11 patients as having gaps in their care, though admitted the total number of affected patients is “unknown at this point”.

“The Queensland Health independent investigation will cover a three-and-a-half-year period. Given this time period, the number of affected patients is unknown at this point, and it is what the investigation is tasked with uncovering,” he said.

O’Rourke said the investigation into the hospital’s urology services was “very disappointing for our community” and sincerely apologised “to every affected patient and family”.

“Townsville HHS takes incredibly seriously its responsibility as a trusted healthcare provider and the confidence the community puts in Townsville HHS to care for them.”

Rosengren said part of the investigation would assess whether patient care was impacted by the ongoing shortage of urologists, an issue that has prompted Queensland Health to establish a dedicated taskforce and Townsville University Hospital to employ a specialist urology nurse.

“There is significant pressure on health systems from a shortage of specialist clinicians, including urologists, and Queensland Health is not immune from this,” he said.

Acting health minister Dale Last said in a statement that similar issues in the hospital’s delivery service were identified in 2023 and 2024, which will form part of the investigation.

Labor opposition leader Steven Miles said there could be hundreds of patients impacted by the service.

“We are very concerned for them and for the uncertainty that this would cause for them [and] for the negative clinical outcomes that they could experience,” he said.

Miles denied Labor was aware of the issues while in government, and suggested the LNP was hoping to avoid scrutiny by leaving Rosengren to make the announcement.

“If we were launching a Part 9 investigation, then our health minister [would be] explaining that to Queenslanders, and that’s what should have happened here,” he said.

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