Qld hospitals are safe - minister assures

Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick has moved to reassure residents of the safety of the state's hospitals after a report found more than 70 per cent of surgical deaths could have been prevented.

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons report found 72 per cent of the 7613 surgical patient deaths between July 2007 and June 2016 were considered preventable.

"Queenslanders need to know that our hospitals in our state are safe and they are getting safer," Mr Dick told reporters.

The government has flagged an overhaul of patient safety reporting across public and private hospitals.

Mr Dick has asked his department to prepare a discussion paper about expanding safety reporting to include private hospitals, which are excluded from a number of reporting requirements.

"We have a strong safety regime in place, but that doesn't mean it can't be stronger," he said.

"That includes expanding information available on the performance of private hospitals."