Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for Health, 8 February 2024
New transfer of care procedure
The Rockliff Liberal Government is doing what matters for Tasmanians by implementing a new protocol which will reduce transfer of care delays and get paramedics back on the road faster.
A new protocol will be implemented across the health system next month mandating a maximum 60-minute window for all patients arriving by ambulance to be transferred to the care of Emergency Department (ED) staff.
Minister for Health, Guy Barnett, said the new procedure comes amidst record investment into Ambulance Tasmania.
“In the last ten years the budget for Ambulance Tasmanian has almost tripled with the number of employees on the Ambulance Award increasing by 220,” said the Minister.
“I am pleased to confirm that next week 13 new paramedics will commence with AT after relocating from interstate, and 15 paramedics who were on fixed term contracts have taken up permanent employment with Ambulance Tasmania.”
Under the new protocol, paramedics will work with their ED colleagues to commence safe handover of patients approaching the 60-minute deadline, including completion of relevant patient documentation.
“While 74% of patients are already being transferred from paramedics to hospital staff within 60 minutes, the new Transfer of Care Procedure will release paramedics to attend more cases in the community and reduce response times for life-threatening cases,” Minister Barnett said.
“This is one component of the Rockliff Liberal Government’s transformational plan to reduce Transfer of Care delays and improve patient access and flow across the health system.
“This protocol builds on initiatives already in place, including the urgent patient offload protocol implemented in early 2023 and the ‘Safe for Emergency Department waiting room pathway’ announced last week.”
As part of the Ambulance Tasmania Award and Agreement registered in April 2023, the Tasmanian Government committed to working HACSU to achieve a mandated transfer of care for all ambulance patients within 60 minutes, within 12 months of the agreement.
Today’s announcement honours this commitment to paramedics, but more than that, will provide greater assurance to Tasmanians.
“I’m grateful for the input of our dedicated working group, including representatives from HACSU, ANMF and the AMA, Ambulance Tasmania and the Tasmanian Health Service,” said Minister Barnett.
Minister Barnett said the Tasmanian Liberal Government was investing record levels in ambulance services.
The protocol will roll out across the son 11 March in the north west, 18 March in the north and 25 March in the south.
Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 8 February 2024
Minister Finally Confirms Ramping Harm
The Rockliff Government has acknowledged for the first time that ambulance ramping is contributing to preventable deaths in Tasmania. Unfortunately, this landmark recognition was quickly tainted by the Health Minister’s implication that some deaths were less concerning because they had been among older and sicker Tasmanians.
Under questioning from the Greens at the ambulance ramping inquiry, Health Minister Guy Barnett finally accepted ramping has an impact on patient mortality, and that ramping for longer periods increases the risks of dying for patients.
This recognition follows the Rockliff Government’s long-term reluctance to acknowledge the obvious harm ambulance ramping is causing to Tasmanian patients. Only three weeks ago, Minister Jo Palmer accused the Greens of playing politics, and of reaching “a new low” for stating the fact Minister Barnett has now accepted.
Although the Health Minister finally accepted the evidence from his staff and from medical research that longer ramping causes patient harm, he shockingly then tried to defend the steep recent increase in deaths of patients who were ramped for long periods by saying many of those patients were older and sicker Tasmanians.
Minister Barnett seemed to imply Tasmanians shouldn’t worry too much about ramping harms, because many of the people dying after extended time on the ramp are older than average ambulance patients. This is a deeply disturbing suggestion.
The Minister should ask himself why some of the most vulnerable Tasmanians are being ramped and subjected to long delays in the treatment they need when they’ve been brought to hospital in an ambulance with a serious medical condition.
