Push for health review
Wilkie seeks answers to ‘root cause of failings’
THE federal government will be asked to refer Tasmania’s “failing” health system to the Productivity Commission when parliament resumes.
The move comes as the state government announces new big spending on health in the upcoming state budget to reduce elective surgery waiting times and bring technological systems up to date.
Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie will make the motion for the Productivity Commission to hold a public inquiry to try to
“identify the root cause of the health system’s failings and formula tea solution ”.
Mr Wilkie will also tell parliament it is time to close one of the state’s public hospitals.
The latest figures show 11,342 people are waiting for elective surgery and most urgent cases — which should be treated in 30 days — are waiting an average of 130 days for their procedure.
The government estimates the $45.5m spend on elective surgery will allow 8500 procedures to be carried out across the next 18 months.
AMA Tasmania vice-president Scott Fletcher said longterm funding was needed to recruit staff to turn the situation around.
“Any Tasmanians left languishing on a record- breaking blown-out waiting list regardless of their category is in real and severe threat of developing co morbidities, creating yet more pressure on the health system,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Only sustained funding over the long term will assist in building public hospital staffing capacity to enable these waiting lists to be addressed and allow consistency in our delivery to help ongoing management.”
Mr Wilkie said the Tasmanian public health system was fundamentally broken and causing prolonged illnesses and avoid able deaths.
“This dire situation is despite the Tasmanian health system receiving more funding from the federal government than the national average and the heroic efforts of staff,” Mr Wilkie said.
“There is precedence for the federal government to intervene in the Tasmanian health system, for instance the takeover of, and hand-back of, the Mersey Hospital.”
Health Minister Sarah Courtney on Friday announcedt he budget would also deliver a $23.1m health technology package to modern is eH R systems and develop a 10-year digital health transformation plan. The bulk of the money, $21.6m, will deliver a new HR system.
“This will mean the department can better manage its workforce in real time, to deliver high-quality health services and to plan more accurately for the future. It will also have the key benefit of freeing up our frontline staff to spend less time on paperwork ,” Ms Courtney said.