Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
The devastating consequences of increased ambulance ramping have been highlighted once again. The most recent tragedy was a woman who was ‘ramped’ inside the Royal Hobart Hospital for two hours, waiting for admission into Emergency.
This terrible event occurred at the same time as the Department of Health Secretary assured Tasmanians they could “have confidence the needs of emergency patients will be met”, as the hospital moves to Level 2 of its Covid Management Escalation Plan.
The Premier needs to take ramping seriously, as his government’s data shows the situation keeps getting worse. More patients are being ramped, and they’re waiting for longer than ever before.
Despite what the Premier says, health staff are stretched incredibly thin.
We understand two paramedics were caring for the patient who died two days ago, as well as four other patients. The safe ratio is one paramedic per patient.
Paramedics are being left high and dry by a government who has understaffed across all parts of the health system for nearly 9 years now.
A responsible government would be examining and addressing the details of how and when ramping increases the risk to patients.
Instead the Liberals won’t gather the information, and have repeatedly refused to record how many patients have adverse outcomes, or tragically die, while they’re ramped. If you don’t measure something, how can you fix it?
We implore Premier Rockliff to take ramping seriously. This is about priorities, and we are witnessing the terrible consequences of long-term government neglect of the health system.