The Rockliff Government must urgently fill vacant paramedic positions and provide more permanent work if it is to address Tasmania’s health crisis.
Information obtained through Questions on Notice shows that one in four Tasmanian paramedics are employed through fixed-term or casual contracts.
Of the 62 graduate paramedics that were offered work between March 2021 and May 2022, only 10 were offered permanent positions.
The insecure working arrangements for our paramedics makes it extremely difficult to recruit and retain workers, who are enticed by better pay, conditions and permanent work in other parts of the country.
Health Minister Guy Barnett has done little to instil confidence in our paramedic workforce, which has resulted in unfilled shifts, further pressure on regional ambulance stations and chronic ramping.
Despite the Rockliff Government saying that paramedic numbers have increased, the truth is the number has actually reduced.
There are a number of paramedics who are on extended leave or workers compensation and between November 1, 2022, and March 26 this year there were 2181 unfilled shifts.
The government’s own Operational Research in Health Report shows that an additional 126 workers are needed across the state by 2025-26.
Since the minority Liberal Government came to office 10 years ago, ambulance response times have worsened by almost 10 minutes, ramping is rife and paramedics are burnt out.
A Labor Government will invest $6.5 million to support our state’s paramedics and improve ambulance response times, giving regional Tasmanians peace of mind they can receive emergency care in their time of need.
Under Labor’s Right Priorities Plan, $3.5 million would be allocated to employ 21 new paramedics in regional areas across the state.
A further $3 million would be spent to upgrade six ambulance stations – including at Smithton and Queenstown, Nubeena, Swansea, Bridport and Oatlands – ensuring that regional communities can respond to call outs in their area.
Labor’s Right Priorities Plan provides a practical solution to take pressure off the state’s four main hospitals and will reduce ramping by increasing access to health services closer to where people live
