The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to fixing the broken health system so we can deliver better health outcomes for all Tasmanians.
That’s why over the last six months we have convened the most open and honest consultation about health that any Government has ever had with the Tasmanian public.
The first round of consultation enabled us to deliver the White Paper exposure draft. The exposure draft’s premise of getting all of our major hospitals working together and specialising in the services they are best suited to deliver has had overwhelming support.
The second round of consultation, which closes today, has enabled us to circulate substantial proposals and flesh out the implementation of One Health System by hearing directly from clinicians and the public in each region about what needs to be in place to ensure all Tasmanians have equal access to better health services than we have right now. Second round staff and public forums were once again held in Burnie, Devonport, Hobart and Launceston and more than 40 further submissions have been received. There has also been targeted consultation with medical, nursing and allied health staff throughout the State.
The Government heard loud and clear from patients and clinicians the need to address long-standing gaps in patient transport to allow all patients to get the full benefit of these reforms. That’s why we have ensured that the upcoming State Budget will include a $14 million boost to both emergency and non-emergency patient transport. This is a demonstration that these consultations are genuine and targeted at allowing equal access to better services.
The consultation with clinical experts and the community has also helped us to further develop options which could help to address some of the issues raised after the release of the exposure draft. As I told the forum at Devonport last week, there is nothing in the exposure draft or in evidence received since then to say the MCH cannot continue to provide a 24-hour Emergency Department at the same level (Level 3) as it is currently capable of offering.
We have also been closely investigating options to utilise the capability of the existing High Dependency Unit to potentially support a 23-hour elective surgery service delivering a wider range of procedures at the new statewide Elective Surgery Centre than was originally proposed. The Government will include any decision about how to best respond to this in the final White Paper.
There has been very strong support for the addition of a new range of services to the MCH, as proposed in the exposure draft. These include pain management, rehabilitation services, subacute services for stroke patients, mental health services, drug and alcohol services, geriatric services and palliative care.
Maternity services (pre-natal and ante-natal care) will continue to be available across the North West, but the clinical evidence clearly shows we need a single birthing location to be able to guarantee the highest level of safety for mothers and babies.
As has been widely discussed at the forums in Burnie and Devonport, there are strengths but also difficulties with each of the potential birthing sites. Despite opportunistic political claims otherwise, it is important to put on record once again that no decision has yet or indeed could have been made. We are continuing to collect all the necessary data and expert advice required to make an evidence-based decision, and this will be shared with the community. As soon as there is progress, the community and staff will be informed.
The final White Paper, taking into account all the feedback received so far, will be released by June 30.
Michael Ferguson, Minister for Health
