Health system likely to get worse before it gets better

For close to 12 months the Minister for Health has promised that the white paper on health reform would provide answers to improve Tasmania’s health system.

Shadow Health Minister Rebecca White said the white paper uncovers it will be another four months before there are any details around how services will change and it could be much longer before any of the changes are implemented.

“It has also been confirmed that efficiencies will first need to be found in the health system before any of the reforms can be funded as there is no new money to support the implementation of service changes,” Ms White said.

“There is no doubt that things will get worse in our health system before they get better.

“Elective surgery waiting lists have grown by more than 50 per cent in just one year at the Royal Hobart Hospital under the Hodgman Liberal Government and there is no relief in sight while staff and capacity constraints in our health system are ignored.

“The Minister continues to deny there is any reason to employ more staff but the data from the Department of Health’s own progress charts show how much strain the current workforce is under with more people presenting to the hospital every day.

“The principles of health reform are sound and Labor supports every effort to provide safer and better care for people accessing the Tasmanian health system.

“Unfortunately this white paper is more about hospital reform than health reform and fails to provide solutions targeting preventative health, community health and primary health that can help keep people well for longer in their community.”
Rebecca White MP Shadow Health Minister