Sarah Courtney must give some clarity on when the Emergency Department at the Mersey Community Hospital will be restored to full 24/7 operation.
Labor Member for Braddon, Shane Broad, said the Minister had made a series of broken promises to the people of the North West.
“The Minister has been promising to restore the ED to 24/7 service for weeks now and hasn’t. Just like she promised to recruit more specialists to relieve the pressure on our health system,” Dr Broad said.
“Today in Parliament, Sarah Courtney again skirted around the issue and failed to give any commitments, meanwhile, people in the North West continue to suffer while she drags her feet.
“Tasmania’s hospital system was already at crisis point before COVID-19 so it is critical that the Mersey’s ED returns to a 24/7 clinic to alleviate the additional pressures on our entire hospital system, including more ambulance ramping, stress on ambulance paramedics and further delays to elective surgeries.
“I’m calling on the Minister to give some clarity – will it be days, weeks or many months before the ED returns to 24/7 operation?
“The Minister must also provide clear time frames on when new specialists will begin work in the North West.”
Shane Broad MP
Labor Member for Braddon
