Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
HACSU’s Allied Health Professionals sub-branch letter to all political leaders paints a disturbing picture about the impact on patients and staff from chronic underfunding of services.
Their letter documents sub-standard patient care and an unsafe working environment, where health staff are suffering exhaustion and psychological trauma from repeatedly being forced to turn away sick patients.
The work of allied health practitioners is critical in keeping people well for longer, and out of acute hospital care.
The Hodgman Government’s continued underfunding of allied health services means patients’ chronic conditions too often progress to being acutely serious. Many end up needing what could have been avoidable hospitalisation, putting more pressure on emergency departments.
The Minister for Health, Michael Ferguson, needs to heed the allied health sector’s plea. He should meet with them to discuss reversing the cuts to these essential services.
In the interests of public health, Minister Ferguson should listen to the views strongly expressed throughout last week’s Access Solutions meeting. This means widening the scope of work to include the role of community and allied health sectors in Emergency Department presentations.
If Tasmanians are to have faith in the Health Minister’s statements made at last week’s Access Solutions meeting, he must meet with HACSU’s Allied Health Professionals sub-branch.