Deep community concern on West Coast over Health

The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Health Minister to step in to address an escalating crisis in healthcare delivery on Tasmania’s west coast.

Around 100 people attended a public meeting organised by Greens Health spokesperson Paul O’Halloran MP in Strahan last night, including senior north-west health bureaucrats, local industry leaders, police and education leaders.

The meeting identified a long list of serious issues that need to be addressed, including:

– The cancellation of 24 hour nursing services, which is threatening to put pressure on already overstretched services.

– Uncertainty over the future of GP services, with no private operator yet found to replace the Independent Practitioners Network who scheduled to depart in January 2014.

– Restrictions on ambulance and air ambulance services.

– Difficulties attracting and retaining skilled GPs, nurses, doctors and paramedics.

– Serious concerns from local business operators over poor staff retention, due to a lack of adequate health service provision across the region.

Mr O’Halloran said that the meeting secured two key, new commitments from senior health bureaucrats attending:

– A review of demand for 24 hour nursing services.

– A commitment that GP services would continue beyond January 2014, regardless of whether a new private provider can be found in time.

Mr O’Halloran said the clear message from Monday night’s meeting was that urgent action was needed to address the serious shortcomings with healthcare services on the west coast.

“The stories we heard at Monday night’s meeting revealed a deep level of community anxiety over healthcare on the west coast.”

“Twelve months ago Parliament unanimously passed a Greens motion to investigate the introduction of a new class of healthcare professional called physician assistants to address regional healthcare issues in Tasmania.”

“The Minister has sat on her hands ever since and done nothing to progress the investigation, and she is failing the people on the west coast who just want access to decent healthcare.”

“This Greens physician assistant proposal will help to address the staffing shortages that the west coast faces while improving access to care and reducing the cost of employing locums.”

‘The Health Minister needs to get down to the west coast immediately and start listening to locals, because right now they do not believe their health needs are being taken seriously.”

‘One of the most serious concerns is the cancellation of after hours nursing services, which locals believe is putting more strain on already-overstretched services.”

“There is also major uncertainty over who will replace the region’s current private GP services provider IPN when it quits in January next year.”

“Locals are unhappy at the high medical staff tumover rate, which is making it impossible to maintain continuity of patient care.”

“Local industry leaders say health service downgrades are a big disincentive for people to live in the region, and are one of the major factors inhibiting the growth of the region.”

“It’s clear that inadequate of healthcare services only putting lives at risk, but it is seriously hampering economic growth on the west coast.”

Download: Physician assistant fact sheet
Jan29_Tas_Greens_Physician_Assistants_Fact_Sheet_2012_P_OHalloran_ATTACH.pdf
Paul O’Halloran MP Greens Health Spokesperson Tuesday, 10 September 2013