A statement on funding for the RHH
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has discussed revelations about the savings being demanded from the Royal Hobart Hospital.
“The decision by the Tasmanian State Government that the Royal Hobart Hospital is to save an additional $42m this financial year, in other words in just eight and a half months, is completely and utterly unacceptable.
“The RHH is already desperately underfunded and at breaking point, and the only thing holding it together is the hard work of the staff. For them now to be required to save this sort of money is asking way too much and downright dangerous.
“When you consider that the RHH unavoidably went over budget last financial year by more than $20m, the real savings required this year will be closer to $70m.
“The delivery of effective public health services is a fundamental responsibility of the Government. It must be demand-driven and not budget capped, something either negligently misunderstood, or irresponsibly ignored, by the Government.
“Yes the Government must find savings. But the place to start is the closure of one of Tasmania’s three northern hospitals. This would be a tangible way of helping ensure better funded and even higher quality health care for all Tasmanians.”
Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Denison
