COVID outbreaks at two of our northern hospitals are putting even more pressure on the already overstretched hospital and staff.
COVID planning and preparation by the Rockliff-Ferguson Government has again been exposed as completely inadequate with the crisis at the Launceston General Hospital and the North West Regional continuing to worsen.
The Rockliff-Ferguson Government is scrambling to respond as COVID and flu cases escalate, with health services struggling to operate and vital procedures like elective surgery now being reduced.
The flow on effect from this will mean that more people will be languishing on the elective surgery wait list for longer.
Tasmanians have also been told to avoid presenting to the emergency department at the North West Regional Hospital to ease the stress currently on the system.
With staff being instructed not to use terms such as ‘outbreak’, and wards struggling to cope, serious concerns about health worker morale continues to grow.
Our health workforce has long been raising issues about staff shortages and burnout but this Government have clearly failed to listen and put a plan in place.
Rebecca White MP
Tasmanian Labor Leader
