According to Queensland Health, expansion is causing delay in elective surgery at Bundaberg hospital.

It is evident from the fact that the number of category two patients waiting more than 90 days, has climbed to 48 in December from two in October.

According to the quarterly performance report, elective surgery waiting lists seem to have increased in Cairns and at Innisfail, with patients waiting for as long as three years for an operation in some cases.

The Health officials at Queensland confirmed that three people on the Category 2 elective surgery waited for a total 935 days at Innisfail Hospital.

On the other hand, 468 people were left waiting for at least a month for elective surgery, compared with 251 people three months prior at Cairns Base Hospital.

Beth Norton, Northern cluster manager said that the emergency surgery took a backseat during restoration period.

The Bundaberg Hospital was undergoing renovation in order to have a new emergency department and more beds, Ms. Norton said.

This temporary close down resulted in the reduction of the elective surgery but now everything has returned to normal.