Great, but don’t use the hospital

THE statistics say it all — 1800 people waiting more than 24 hours for admission to the Royal Hobart Hospital, when compared with two people for four major hospitals in Melbourne combined (“Right Royal mess,” Mercury, October 31). This is unbelievable. Our secretive State Government continues to promulgate the message of what a great and booming economy we have and what a great tourist destination we are. Well, where is it, Premier, Treasurer, Minister, etc? Yes, even the plebs are asking.

Great to come here, so long as you don’t need care in our major hospital. The question must also be asked, what priority do psychiatric bed numbers have when compared to community and mental health service expectations? All we seem to hear from the State Government are promises that never see the light of day. Raymond Harvey Claremont

Shoulder to the wheel

CONGRATULATIONS on the excellent Editorial (“Emergency needs a fix,” Mer

cury, October 23). Sadly it takes a coronial inquest to present the facts about waiting times in the Royal Hobart Hospital’s emergency department. Even worse was the embarrassing comparison with Melbourne, a city with a population of five million compared with Hobart’s 200,000. While acknowledging capacity as an issue, Dr Huckerby referred to cultural change as just as critical. No doubt we will hear more of the same diatribe from the usual cohort. In light of such evidence, surely the Government’s verbosity and inaction must end. Cultural change begins with the Premier. Putting his shoulder to the wheel, in lieu of delegating other ministers to account while he is out and about, ribboncutting and sporting hard hats. With the Premier’s vision for a population of 650,000 by 2050, now is the time to be investing in health. Not reducing health budgets, squirrelling away surpluses. Lee-Anne Spinks Bellerive

Thank you

THANKS for highlighting the bed block crisis at the Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department as detailed by Dr Emma Huckerby at an inquest (“Right Royal mess,” Mercury, October 31). Perhaps tomorrow you can highlight the response of the Hodgman Government: chopping $50 million off the RHH budget. Perhaps Coroner McTaggart could also highlight this fact. Michael Loughhead Sandy Bay

Sure as hell can fix it

“HOUSTON, we have a problem” … famous words from outer space in 1970. As anyone knows, when you face a problem, you do your utmost best to solve it. It’s not rocket science. Premier Will Hodgman may not have caused the Royal Hobart Hospital’s crisis, but he sure as hell has the means at his disposal to fix it. Interest rates are the lowest in living memory. Borrow whatever it takes and build a second public hospital. Macquarie Point is perfect! Forget cable cars, football, poker machines and prisons, there is no more important concern than life and health. Stand up to the bureaucracy and lead. Tassie has an ageing and growing population. The loan can be repaid over decades, the benefits immense. Every Tasmanian, old, young or middle aged will thank you, Premier, from the bottom of their precious hearts! Steve Bailey Glenorchy

Chris, come on down

HEY Chris Hemsworth, come to Tasmania, we’ll put on a show for you. Who knows, you might get the chance to spend more than 24 hours in our third-world emergency department. Paul Holdsworth Mt Nelson

Be strong, minister

WE should hold a degree of empathy for Minister Sarah Courtney in her portfolio of Health – she is certainly brave! With what is being revealed at the RHH, it almost seems the entire hospital complex (nurses and doctors excluded) is suffering arterial blockage. The minister will need all her internal fortitude, diplomacy, patience, know-how and mental resilience, to meet the challenges – and I wish her well. With such an incurable position at hand, one could recommend defibrillation to jerk the whole system back to life. Jack Buzelin Taroona