Ferguson still not listening on Royal Hobart Hospital crisis

• Minister had ample warning on chronic bed shortage
• Patients now being treated in waiting areas
• Ferguson has no solution to intolerable situation for staff and patients

Royal Hobart Hospital medical staff and patients have yet again been badly let down by Health Minister Michael Ferguson who has ignored months of warnings about an impending chronic bed shortage.

Shadow Health and Preventative Care Minister Rebecca White said despite having months of warning that the demolition of the hospital’s B Block would place staff in real danger of being unable to cope with demand, Mr Ferguson had failed to put a plan in place and the hospital was now chronically under-resourced.

“The situation at the Royal Hobart Hospital – with patients being interviewed in waiting areas because staff have been left unable to cope with demand – is just unacceptable,” Ms White said.

“For many, many months now Mr Ferguson has been warned that once demolition began, beds would be reduced but he has failed to heed those warnings.

“Nurses and doctors and other frontline staff are now extremely concerned that they have been left unable to provide patients with the care they need.

“They are upset that they are not being listened to as doctors continue to tell the Minister that even during a relatively quiet period through January the hospital has been unable to cope.

“This Minister has left them in an untenable situation.

“The message to Michael Ferguson could not be clearer – the hospital is in crisis because of his mismanagement.

“Once and for all he needs to start listening to those people on the frontline who have been badly let down and now need to be provided with the resources they need to treat the patients in their care.

“Today he has announced a vague promise to address the situation in coming weeks.

“That’s not good enough. The Minister needs to actually meet with hospital staff today, listen to them and act.”
Rebecca White MP Shadow Health and Preventative Care Minister