The crisis within the Launceston General Hospital’s emergency department was the topic of choice during a visit to Launceston by opposition health spokesperson Catherine King.
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Campaigning alongside local candidate for Bass Ross Hart, candidate for Lyons Brian Mitchell and Tasmanian Labor Senator Helen Polley, Ms King said Tasmania’s healthcare system is to some extent like the canary in the coal mine.
“Unlike larger states when there are substantial cuts from the federal government to your healthcare system, here in Tasmania you have no buffer. That is what we are seeing here at the LGH,” she said.
“[The hospital] has done a fantastic job trying to make sure that patients here are getting the treatment that they need, but what we do know is that emergency department waiting times have gone through the roof [and] elective surgery across the state has been under pressure.”
She said if the federal government is re-elected on Saturday the health system will only see further damage.
“What we will also do is increase funding for emergency departments and elective surgery waiting times to help the emergency department here at the LGH and make sure it is actually able to change the pathway of patients through this hospital,” Ms King said.
“Labor will go back to the National Health Reform Agreement and fund 50 per cent of the efficient price of activity based funding.”
Mr Hart said he hopes hearing about Labor’s plan would help to reduce unease about the current issues faced by Launceston’s only public hospital.
“I have been very concerned about what has been happening at the Launceston General Hospital,” he said.
“People have been talking to me about their concerns about doctors and nurses leaving the emergency department at the LGH.”
Liberal Bass MHR Andrew Nikolic said Labor does not plan but is quick on the spending trigger.
“I have absolutely been working with health minister Michael Ferguson who is dealing with these matters, and as you know state and territory governments fund public hospitals in their states,” he said.
But Ms King said it is a Commonwealth issue. “The Commonwealth has been funding alongside states and territories public hospitals since World War II,” she said.