Claims an elderly man died in a hospital corridor after waiting more than eight hours for a bed are being taken seriously, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says.
According to News Limited the man, believed to have had cancer, is alleged to have died on a trolley after a long delay in being transferred to a ward at Townsville Hospital.
Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson has referred the case to the Health Quality and Complaints Commission and the state coroner will also investigate.
Ms Bligh said the allegations were being taken seriously but did not want to pre-empt the investigation.
"I do know that a lot of our hospitals are under stress, particularly in the Emergency Department, we take this allegation very seriously and it will be investigated," she told reporters in Brisbane.
"Queensland Health every day is saving lives, we have great doctors and great nurses out there but when we hear complaints like this we know that we've got to investigate it and we've got to keep striving to do better."
Ms Bligh backed Mr Robertson's performance as health minister.
"The health portfolio is one of the toughest portfolios in any government (and) he is someone who is driving a very big reform agenda," she said.
"Stephen is doing a wonderful job and he's got my full support."
