Premier Peter
Gutwein and Health Minister Sarah Courtney can no longer continue to deny the
dire situation they have created and maintained in Tasmania’s health and
hospital system with the release of another damning report showing it is the
worst performing in the nation.
Labor Leader
Rebecca White said the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services
on health painted a bleak picture of a health system that had deteriorated
alarmingly over the past two terms of Liberal government and was continuing to
worsen.
Ms White said
the Liberals had created a system which had badly failed Tasmanians in need of
health care and an impossible situation for nurses, doctors and other health
professionals who had been prevented from providing the best care despite their
best efforts.
“Mr Gutwein
and Ms Courtney can no longer remain in denial after seven years in which their
government has consistently eroded resources and failed our hard-working health
staff and patients,” Ms White said.
“Telling
Tasmanians time and again that the health and hospital system faces
‘significant challenges’ is doing nothing to actually improve a disastrous
situation. And it is doing nothing to help Tasmanians who need care get that
care.”
The report shows half of Tasmanian
category one patients on the elective surgery waiting list waited longer than
the recommended treatment timeframe of 30 days.
Overall, almost 55 per cent of Tasmanians
on the elective surgery waiting list waited longer than clinically recommended.
Average ambulance response times are the
worst in the country at 25.6 minutes.
The report also shows just 66 per cent of
emergency patients and 58 per cent of urgent cases presenting to Tasmanian emergency
departments were seen on time.
“On this government’s watch, the elective surgery waiting list has ballooned to more than 11,790, the outpatient wait list is unacceptable at 47,700 and more than 16,000 Tasmanians are waiting to see a dentist,” Ms White said.
“These are appalling figures the government can no longer ignore and Mr Gutwein and Ms Courtney need to stop with the excuses and tell Tasmanian health staff and patients how and when they will fix the system.”
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
