Cancer specialist forced to resign

· Dr Byard forced to resign after Government reject his bid for continuing outreach work on the North-West

· Minister admits oncologist recruitment is difficult, but allows long-standing oncologist to walk away

· DHHS will now spend thousands more getting locum help from Victoria

It appears that cancer specialist, Dr Ian Byard, who officially leaves at the end of this month, was forced to resign after the Government rejected his bid to work part-time in the south while continuing to provide outreach services on the North-West Coast.

In the same breath as the Minister for Health told Parliament that recruitment of oncologists was extremely difficult, she has indicated she is prepared to let a prominent oncologist walk away simply because the Royal Hobart Hospital are demanding a full-time person.

The stubborn approach of this Minister will lead to even more holes in the health system, including no medical outreach service in the North-West and no additional oncology help at the RHH.

When asked about the negotiations between Dr Byard and the RHH, the Minister told Parliament “Dr Byard’s proposals were not suitable to the RHH” because they wanted someone full-time.
The Minister also warned that in relation to the provision of cancer services on the North-West, there would be no ‘utopia’ under this or any future government.

The people of the North-West are not seeking what Lara Giddings suggests is ‘utopia’, they are simply looking for equity of access to vital cancer services as all others in the State enjoy. They are fed up with being forced to travel every day for cancer treatment, and now forced to travel to access to a specialist.

The Minister told Parliament while she was hopeful of filling two vacancies for oncologists in the north of the State by the end of this year, she is talking to Victoria about locum coverage for the North-West.

Again, we see our health dollar wasted by the State Labor Government.

They are not prepared to accommodate a doctor’s desire to work part-time in two areas of the State, but are prepared to accept his resignation and prop up services by using expensive locums from interstate.
Brett Whiteley MP Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services