For the third day in a row, Sarah Courtney has refused to answer questions about how many unnecessary patient deaths there have been at the Launceston General Hospital.
Shadow Minister for Health Sarah Lovell said the government is desperately trying to downplay and sidestep frightening concerns raised by doctors working in the emergency department of the LGH.
“First Peter Gutwein lashed out at doctors for speaking out, before offering a grudging apology today. But the behaviour of his Health Minister is cause for deep concern.
“Doctors have drawn attention to grave concerns, including that patients are dying because long-term issues at the LGH have been ignored by Sarah Courtney.
“Our patients have died unnecessarily, they have died because we did not have appropriate space to treat and monitor them.”
“Rather than acknowledge these concerns and the unnecessary deaths that have resulted, Sarah Courtney has refused to answer questions in the Tasmanian Parliament – for three days in a row.
“Her behaviour is typical of this government’s stonewalling, secrecy and arrogance.
“Tasmanians deserve to know whether they should share the concerns of doctors – that seeking treatment at the LGH ED is not safe.
“And Sarah Courtney must acknowledge, and take responsibility for, the unnecessary deaths that have occurred at the LGH.
“These deaths are the result of the government’s deep budget cuts. The impact of those cuts did not go away, they were just temporarily pushed from the headlines.”
Sarah Lovell
Shadow Minister for Health
