Media release – Tasmanian Liberals, 29 April 2021
Supporting Access To Cutting Edge Treatments For Children With Cancer
A re-elected Gutwein Liberal Government will provide $600,000 over three years to secure the future of Tasmania’s only Children’s Cancer Clinical Trials Unit, which has previously depended entirely on donations.
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of non-traumatic deaths in Tasmanian children, and is a significant contributor to long-term health issues. It is well established that much of the improvements in survival rates and health outcomes for children with cancer over the last five decades is attributed to large scale national and international clinical trials.
The Children’s Cancer Clinical Trials Unit was established around three years ago through funding of over $300,000 by The Kids’ Cancer Project to ensure Tasmanian children with aggressive forms of cancer could locally access cutting edge innovative treatments by participating in large scale trials.
Prior to this, taking part in a clinical trial was incredibly challenging with the child receiving treatment having to spend significant time interstate while often their extended family was back home in Tasmania.
The Government’s commitment will ensure continued local access to clinical trials by Tasmanian children with aggressive forms of cancer. It will also help provide certainty around the recruitment of staff and will be matched by an additional $300,000 commitment over the next three years from The Kids’ Cancer Project.
Since the unit commenced, Tasmanian children have been able to access new therapeutic options for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, brain cancers and refractory solid tumours by participating in clinical trials.
Over the next six months there are several new clinical trials set to open including a large scale leukaemia trial, which will enable access to the latest molecular diagnostics and therapeutic agents.
The Children’s Cancer Clinical Trials Unit is also continuing to work on enabling patients from the North and North West to better access trials by providing outreach services to the North West Regional Hospital and LGH.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will be the first Tasmanian Government to commit funding for childhood cancer clinical trials. I’m pleased we can provide this much needed certainty to these children and their families at a very uncertain time in their lives.
Mental Health Clinic To Be Redeveloped
I’m pleased to announce that a re-elected majority Gutwein Liberal Government will provide $2 million to The Hobart Clinic towards its $19 million redevelopment at its Rokeby site.
The current facility is ageing and no longer fit for purpose, and this funding will help the Clinic to rebuild as a modern 48 bed facility.
The Clinic is Tasmania’s leading private charitable treatment centre, providing mental health services for conditions such as anxiety, mood disorders, depression, drug and alcohol addiction and memory loss.
The facility provides support to hundreds of Tasmanians out of its current 27 bed facility.
This expansion will help to ease the pressure on the state’s mental health services, with the funding to be provided as part of our $20 million commitment to support our private hospitals and community nursing and home care sector. This helps take pressure off the public system, helping more Tasmanians get the care they need.
Only a re-elected majority Gutwein Liberal Government has a clear plan to secure Tasmania’s future and provide support to those who need it the most.
Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson, 29 April 2021
Greens’ Fix For Health
The Greens understand the need for immediate and ambitious action to tackle the health crisis, and are proud to announce our comprehensive plan to do just that.
It’s often said that lutruwita/Tasmania’s health system is at breaking point, but if you talked to most Tasmanians they’d tell you it’s already broken.
Seven years of neglect by the Liberals has led to soaring waiting times for ambulances, in emergency departments, for elective surgeries, and for outpatients. Health professionals are under intense pressure just to stop things getting worse, but the Government has refused to take them seriously for years.
The Greens understand that solving the health crisis will require a range of significant measures that cover each stage of care – from preventative health and community care, through to hospitals and capacity builds, and everything in between. We have listened to patients, community organisations, healthcare workers, and the evidence, and developed a comprehensive plan of action.
Our plan puts a strong emphasis on making sure the health system has the staff, beds and resources we need now and into the future. It commits to the structural and forward planning solutions that have been ignored by the Liberals, and invests in more capacity at the Royal Hobart Hospital and Launceston General Hospital to support our growing health population into the future.
We will significantly increase the finance Tasmania needs to make this investment in health by making big developers, mining companies, fish farm operators, and pokies companies pay their fair share. This is crucial for delivering what is required to fix the system.
The Greens recognise that proper investment in health is an emergency requirement for lutruwita/Tasmania, and are committed to taking action as a top priority.
Media release – Tasmanian Greens, 29 April 2021
Greens’ Health Plan Delivers for Northern Tasmania
Today the Greens released their comprehensive plan for lutruwita/Tasmania’s health system.
Greens candidate for Bass, Jack Davenport, said this plan is exactly what is required to deliver better outcomes for patients in Northern Tasmania.
“The situation that has been unfolding at the LGH is nothing short of a disaster – for patients, for staff, and for our community.
“Through this campaign I’ve talked to so many people about their harrowing experiences in the health system. I’ve also talked to medical professionals who have described horrible conditions, along with their fears for the future.
“I’m certain anyone listening to these stories would be both heartbroken and alarmed by what lies ahead if the Liberals are returned to government.
“The Greens know that tackling the crisis in our health system will require investment in measures across each stage of care – from preventative health through to hospitals, and everything in between. Our comprehensive plan of action will do just that.
“The Greens plan will prioritise filling the nurse vacancies that are crucial to ensuring patient safety in the LGH Emergency Department, fund new nurse positions, including for Psychiatric Emergency Nurses, and invest $120 million over four years into increasing the capacity of the hospital.
“We will implement a Statewide Strategy for Emergency Departments, and introduce mandatory reporting of incidents where patients have to wait 12 or 24 hours in the ED.
“We will also build a new, public Urgent Care Centre in the north of the state, build a new ambulance station at Legana, and invest in more paramedics and more ambulances.”
Media release – AMA Tasmania, 29 April 2021
HEALTH IS THE KEY ISSUE AS WE HEAD TO THE POLLS ON SATURDAY
Health is the number one issue in this election for a good reason.
Our mental health service is in crisis.
Our alcohol and drug services are on the verge of collapse.
Our acute care hospitals are bulging at the seams with growing demand, and our waiting lists are blowing out.
Our staff are being stretched to the limit dealing with the growing number of patients.
Our health system is at breaking point.
Doctors in general practice, in emergency departments, on medical wards and in surgery are stressed, exhausted and losing patience.
Our 2021 State Election Platform sets out what AMA Tasmania believes needs to be done to the Tasmanian health system to address these issues now and into the future.
We have judged the three party’s election platforms against 15 key AMA solutions.
Not one of the traditional parties has adopted the AMA answer of investing $400 million into IT to build a comprehensive digital hospital of the future that links all parts of the health system together.
Without this major commitment, many of the issues that are breaking the health system today will continue.
Small buckets of funding for a software program here or there will not suffice.
Similarly, not one party will open desperately needed inpatient beds for mental health patients. Meanwhile, around six mental health patients will remain bed blocked in the RHH ED for days on end every day, making their mental health condition worse and the ED environment more stressful for patients and staff.
And not one party has the courage to build a new single hospital for the North West, thus failing to address why we can’t attract and retain medical staff, and some services are failing the community.
Bringing down the elective surgery waiting list will take more than just additional money, which so far has achieved nothing.
Without the theatres, the staff or the beds, elective surgery cannot happen and yet not one party has agreed to look at how we can ensure surgery teams and beds are available whenever needed for an emergency, without compromising patients awaiting elective surgery.
While Labor and Greens will address elective surgery needs in the coming years in the south by providing day surgery at the Repat, there are no solutions for now or for the rest of the state.
On the positive side, all parties are united on climate change and the need to consult with doctors on the LGH master plan. With the Liberals recognising that essential equipment investment is needed both now and into the future.
Some of our priorities are partly delivered through various other initiatives. We will work with whoever is elected on Saturday to bring their policies and ours into closer alignment to achieve the best outcomes.
Health is the best investment that any government can make.
The time is now to stop the piecemeal approach, make a solid plan and look to the future.
Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader & Dr Bastian Seidel MLC, Shadow Minister for Health, 28 April 2021
Labor will deliver new dedicated hospice beds for Launceston
A majority Labor Government will commit $5 million to the build of a ten-bed dedicated hospice at the Launceston General Hospital precinct.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said the small number of dedicated hospice beds currently in Launceston meant there were not enough and people were forced to use beds that could be used for medical emergencies.
“The current situation is simply unacceptable and it is completely inappropriate for people to die in emergency departments without the dignity and privacy they deserve at the end of life,” Ms White said.
“These people need dedicated purpose-built hospice beds so they can pass away comfortably and with dignity.
“A majority Labor Government will commit $5 million towards the build of a ten-bed hospice at the LGH precinct and provide $2.8 million p.a. for running costs.”
Shadow Minister for Health Dr Bastian Seidel said the addition of new dedicated hospice beds to Northern Tasmania would free up beds in the Emergency Department and allow patients to receive high quality specialty care in their final moments.
“Tasmanian Labor is committed to ensuring Tasmanians can access hospice services,” Dr Seidel said.
“A majority Labor Government will deliver ten new dedicated hospice beds at the LGH precinct in order to better care for those close to death.
“We will also provide $3.5 million for capital works upgrades to upgrades at small rural hospitals which can be used to upgrade palliative care suites.
“Labor’s Health Action Plan will address the Liberals incredible health failures around Tasmania and ensure people can get the care they need when they need it.
“Labor is working for Tasmanians to create a better and fairer state.”
Gutwein’s Royal Hobart Hospital mayhem cannot be allowed to continue
The utter chaos surrounding the Royal Hobart Hospital which has today seen the Tasmanian health system on the verge of collapse is a direct result of Peter Gutwein’s seven years as Treasurer during which he took an axe to health.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said with the hospital today yet again gripped by crisis, the emergency department at capacity and elective surgeries being cancelled, Tasmanians were seeing the unacceptable result of Peter Gutwein’s $1.6 billion in cuts to health.
“Peter Gutwein owns this crisis,” Ms White said.
“Tasmania cannot survive 11 years of a Liberal government critically under-funding and under-resourcing the health and hospital system.
“Nothing Peter Gutwein has said during this election campaign will fix this crisis. Peter Gutwein has created this crisis and he has no plan to solve it.
“And for Sarah Courtney to today tell Tasmanians escalation protocols at the RHH are ‘normal’ is arrogant, dismissive and irresponsible – nobody should be told to accept this unacceptable situation as normal.
“There is only one choice to address this unprecedented situation and that is to elect a Labor Government which has a comprehensive plan to address health from day one.”
Shadow Health Minister Dr Bastian Seidel said Peter Gutwein and Sarah Courtney’s claim that the situation today was due to ‘unprecedented demand’ was a lie.
“The fact is Peter Gutwein has cut funding for seven years as Treasurer and is now trying to con Tasmanians that there is nothing to see here,” Dr Seidel said.
“He has created a disaster and is now, typically, trying to hide the facts.
“The only way to solve the health crisis is to vote 1-5 for Labor this election.”
