Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for Health, 12 September 2023
Emergency Department review announced
An independent review will be held into the operations of the Emergency Departments at all four Tasmanian hospitals as part of the Rockliff Liberal Government’s commitment to the ongoing improvement of the State’s health system.
Minister for Health, Guy Barnett, said our team members right across our health system do an incredible job day in and day out, and I back them 100 per cent.
“That’s why I am leaving no stone unturned to make sure we are doing absolutely everything we possibly can to support them,” Minister Barnett said.
“We know Emergency Departments are a real pinch point in our health care system.
“We have an ever-growing number of presentations, many of which are not emergencies and could be treated elsewhere.
“We need to make sure resourcing, work practices, communication, and hospital flow strategies are the best they possibly can be.”
The review process will begin with the Launceston General Hospital – the subject of a recent parliamentary motion – and will be extended to the Royal Hobart Hospital, the North West Regional Hospital and the Mersey Community Hospital.
“This is about ensuring Tasmanians can access the care they need, in the right place, at the right time,” Minister Barnett said.
“Tasmanians can be assured this Government is continuing to do what matters and build a healthcare system that delivers the right healthcare for them, their children and their grandchildren.”
Safety and quality expert Prof Debora Picone AO will lead the review alongside a nursing expert and an expert nominated by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.
Media release – Anita Dow MP, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 12 September 2023
Barnett’s backflip on ED review welcomed
With our health system clearly beyond crisis point, Labor has welcomed the Government’s incredible change of tune in announcing an expansion of the Emergency Department review.
Last week, when Labor won the support of the parliament in establishing a review into the Launceston General Hospital’s emergency department, Minister for Health Guy Barnett reverted to his trademark move and tried to gaslight Tasmanians into thinking it was a stunt.
“It is a disgrace for state Labor to be doing this right here, right now because it is putting fear and anxiety into the people of Tasmania,” he said.
Thankfully, the Parliament saw through the Minister’s feeble attempts and ignored him, voting for the review anyway.
Since then, we’ve seen Tasmanians being told to stay away from our major hospitals because they couldn’t cope with the number of people needing help, with patients also told to consider leaving early to free up space.
Now, less than a week on from his embarrassing reaction to Labor trying to do what the Liberals won’t and improve the failing health system – Barnett has backflipped completely.
While this change in tune is welcome, it is entirely indicative of a government that after 10 years in power, has run out of ideas to fix the burning issues in Tasmania.
Why did you close the Multi-Purpose Health Centre at Dover, Premier?
Premier Jeremy Rockliff could not answer today why his government shut the Multi-Purpose Centre at Dover.
On Tuesday last week, the Premier told Tasmanians to stay away from our major hospitals, because they couldn’t cope with the number of people needing help.
By Thursday, the situation had worsened and he was telling patients within the hospitals to consider leaving early or transferring to a regional facility.
One of those facilities was the Multi-Purpose Centre at Dover, which operated an out-of-hours accident and emergency treatment room – until he shut it.
The facility at Dover could assist patients with lower severity needs, helping them avoid the need to travel to the Royal Hobart Hospital, and could also provide medical attention for patients with more serious issues while they wait for an ambulance to arrive.
The room is still set up, with a bed, equipment, medications, an ECG machine and a defibrillator – it’s ready to go.
But it’s closed!
Given the extraordinary pressure on the Royal Hobart Hospital, and particularly it emergency department, why won’t Premier Rockliff reopen it?
A Labor Government will invest heavily in regional health services to reduce the pressure on our Emergency Departments at our major hospitals and combat chronic ambulance ramping.
Media release – Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader, 12 September 2023
Rockliff admits defeat on health crisis
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has admitted that perilous state of Tasmania’s health system after 10 years of Liberal government neglect, incompetence and failures.
When Mr Rockliff sacked himself as Health Minister in July, he had the gall to say our health system was “in the best place it’s been for a long time”.
But when questioned in Parliament this morning about the loss of two prosthetics by the health system, Mr Rockliff finally admitted what we all know – saying “massive system improvements” are needed.
The problem is Mr Rockliff and his minority Liberal government have had 10 years to make those “massive system improvements” but as with every other key public service in Tasmania, they have failed dismally.
Tasmanians are being told to stay away from our hospitals because our EDs are overwhelmed, the ambulance service is overwhelmed and surgeries are being cancelled to prevent the whole system falling apart.
Homelessness is at levels not seen before, public transport services have been cut across Hobart, and the Liberals have trashed 100 years of investment in the Hydro, sending power prices through the roof.
Yesterday, yet another shocking report underlined the dire state of our education system, with the Code REaD Networking report showing Tasmanian school results going backwards faster than in any other state, with one in two Tasmanians unable to read to a functional level.
Labor will prioritise investment in regional health services, our education system and affordable housing, and we will cap power prices to give Tasmanians a Tasmanian price for Tasmanian power.
