A coalition of concerned Northern politicians have joined with doctors to urge the government to do anything necessary to restore confidence in the Launceston General Hospital emergency department.
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Australian Medical Association Northern Tasmania chairman Glenn Richardson, Windermere MLC Ivan Dean and Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten joined Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage at the hospital on Sunday to express their concerns about the loss of nine consultants and six senior nurses in a month.
Ms Armitage said some patients had been forced to stay in the emergency department for six days.
“We have to ask why we have constant bed block and ambulance ramping, with doctors and nurses leaving,” she said.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson said he had held discussions with hospital staff and was interested in any solution that would benefit the community.
He said Tasmanian Health Service chief executive David Alcorn was reviewing the Acute Medical Unit to potentially be a support to the emergency department.
Dr Richardson said department staff were working with wards of admitted patients while also dealing with emergency presentations.
“This is putting enormous stress on those people everyday and they’re starting to wonder how well they’re valued,” he said.
“The Minister has to engage very, very strongly with these people in the emergency department, come and meet with them, discuss their concerns.”
