AMA Tasmania believes it is imperative that senior management staff with clinical governance expertise and authority are located permanently on-site at the Royal Hobart Hospital to ensure optimal service delivery and patient care.
AMA Tasmania President, Dr Stuart Day, said this is important for all Tasmanian hospitals, but is particularly so at the RHH given it is coping with a major onsite redevelopment.
“The Royal Hobart Hospital plays a pivotal role in the delivery of both state wide and local public hospital services,” said AMA Tasmania President, Dr Stuart Day.
“Senior clinicians have for many months raised credible concerns about the worsening bed status at RHH through appropriate channels without having received a timely and coherent response from THS management.
“Steps to address this issue only now appear to be occurring as a result of sustained pressure by the Royal Hobart Hospital Medical Staff Association and Australian Nurses and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian branch over the past week.
“Doctors, nurses and other clinical staff strive to deliver the best care for patients. It is vital that Tasmanian hospitals are well managed with adequate onsite medical, nursing and allied health leadership.
“The current problems at RHH are exacerbated by an offsite and centralised Health Service that is tolerating vacancies in key onsite clinical leadership positions.
“Major hospital building projects always bring logistic challenges and AMA members are keen to work with the THS executive to enable solutions to these challenges.”
Ned Worledge
