Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
The HealthStats update, released today, once again shows the deepening crisis at the Royal Hobart Hospital, with record low statistics for a third straight month.
Only 28% of patients entering the Royal’s Emergency Department were seen on time in September – a new low. This is even though the number of people presenting to the ED was less than in four of the last six months.
Shockingly, only one third of patients with an imminently life-threatening condition were seen on time at the RHH in September. This is desperately below the national benchmark of 80%.
In fact, the government’s performance in all but one of the triage categories have reached new lows - sliding backwards even further.
These figures outline an alarming situation in the Royal - one the Government should be tackling urgently with significant new investments. While the newly-announced small staffing increase is better than nothing, it won’t go close to properly addressing the crisis.
People’s lives are being put at avoidable risk. This government, however, seem content to ignore this reality and keep tinkering at the edges of the problem.
We need to see a much larger investment in staffing, and a plan to effectively recruit and retain healthcare workers. That plan needs an iron-clad commitment to filling current health vacancies, providing clinical support for all staff, and to making Tasmanian salaries comparable with other jurisdictions.
Without the Liberals doing what is necessary now, Tasmanians can expect further worsening of health outcomes in the months ahead.