Reports on social media that a patient with an unstable high C spine fracture waited five and a half hours for an ambulance in Hobart are shocking.
This is unacceptable; however, it has tragically become the new norm under the minority Liberal Government.
Our paramedics do their best with the limited resources they have but sadly due to a lack of resourcing by the Liberals ambulance wait times are the worst in the country.
Meanwhile the time Tasmanians spend on the ambulance ramp continues to grow. The LGH has the worst bed block in the country. Our emergency departments are at capacity and staff shortages and burnout are at an all-time high.
These are all symptoms of a health system in crisis and a Government that’s run out of ideas to fix it.
What is it going to take for this government to act?
Minister Barnett must take responsibility for fixing the Tasmanian health system and this includes improving access flow across our hospitals.
After 10 years of this minority Liberal Government, our health system is the worst it has ever been and it is clear the new Minister has no plan to fix our health system.
Labor has a plan to invest in our district hospitals, improve our ambulance infrastructure and staffing across Tasmania, reducing wait times, ramping, easing bed block and the burden on our paramedics and healthcare workers.
Anita Dow MP
Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing
