If Tasmania successfully delivers good health outcomes for its older, sicker and poorer population it could serve as an example to the rest of Australia, says the new head of the Australian Medical Association.
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Launceston General Hospital anaesthetist Stuart Day was announced state president of the powerful doctor lobby late Tuesday after former chief Tim Greenaway moved to Canberra to work for the federal health department.
One of Dr Day’s priorities will be assisting Health Minister Michael Ferguson in his goal of Tasmania becoming the nation’s healthiest state by 2025. With high rates of chronic disease, obesity, drinking and smoking, it will be no easy task, and Mr Ferguson has said the goal was deliberately ambitious.
“I think we’re at the forefront in the sense of the statistics of need with an older population that’s unhealthy, a population that’s overweight, so that’s a great challenge,” Dr Day said.
“There’s not an easy answer to that. But if Tasmania gets it right and achieves good health outcomes, then we’ll be something that the rest of the country can catch up with once they have the same issues that they face, which is only five or 10 years in the future.”
Issues at the LGH recently dominated headlines with several high-profile resignations from the hospital’s emergency department.
Some doctors have raised concerns about the move towards a statewide health system with localised management losing powers in favour of Tasmania-wide clinical service streams.
“Doctors are far better at the clinical coalface looking after patients, and whatever governance structure the state has needs to aid that,” Dr Day said.
“So we’re in there behind the scenes currently working with our CEO of the THS (David Alcorn) and the minister to improve that governance structure which is going through significant changes at the moment.
“We as Tasmania are moving towards having to deliver services as a statewide entity and yes, our doctors support that concept. How the nitty gritty and the details behind the scenes, how that is delivered is part of a conversation we’re currently having.”
Doctors are far better at the clinical coalface looking after patients, and whatever governance structure the state has needs to aid that.
- Dr Stuart Day