Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
With more cases of COVID-19 being announced daily, and the North West Regional Hospital closed for surgical and medical patients, residents need an assurance they will not be required to leave the North West for critical health services.
The Premier was clear that people should stay in their region, but the Health Minister has said patients may need to be taken to Launceston for treatment.
There's clarity needed about plans for the management of COVID-19 in the North West.
It’s been a week since the federal government approved a pipeline of money to allow state governments to take over private hospitals and boost the public system’s COVID-19 capacity.
Healthcare workers who have been exposed to coronavirus are being removed from the North West Regional Hospital workforce, and life-saving medical and surgical services have been closed. Tasmanians need to know when, and how, the additional health system capacity will be available.
Every day in the COVID-19 pandemic is precious. We urge the Health Minister to act now.
North West coasters, and their dedicated healthcare workers, need to be reassured that resources and facilities from private operators will be directed to maintain delivery of essential health services in the region.