Behind every number, is a person waiting for care. This was the sentiment echoed by Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff on Friday with the release of the state's latest health dashboard figures.
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Usually a quarterly release containing data about three months behind current time, Tasmanians can now expect a monthly update of figures in an effort from the government to improve the transparency and currency of public health information.
For the first time since before COVID-19 reached our shores, Tasmania has seen a slight reduction in the number of patients on a waiting list for elective surgery.
With 11,618 Tasmanians now waiting across all three categories, the number is at similar level to that experienced at the start of the pandemic.
That is, before COVID-19 forced a halt on all non-urgent surgeries across Australia.
In context, this was a significant blow to the state and it was always going to have a far-reaching impact. This has been reflected in Tasmania's health dashboard data up until now.
But the wait times for surgery in this state were a grim reality for too many long before COVID came into our lives. Yes, coronavirus exacerbated the issue, but it is no excuse for it.
As of May urgent category 1 patients (recommended to be treated within 30 days) are waiting on average 106 days beyond the clinically recommended time for surgery.
There are also more than 54,400 outpatients on a waiting list for care - that's about 10 per cent of the state's entire population.
At the same time, more people are presenting to hospital emergency departments than ever before.
When we consider this data in the context of the doctors who continue to warn that our state won't cope in the event of a COVID outbreak or severe flu season, Tasmanians have every right to be concerned.
As pointed out by the opposition, it shows in black and white the grim reality facing many Tasmanians waiting for necessary medical care, and it's not good enough.
The government acknowledges this, and since being sworn in has "hit the ground running" to make true on its long list of election commitments aimed at fixing the state's ailing health system.
We will now have monthly insight into the state of demand facing our health system. But whether this serves as a token of greater accountability as promised, only time will tell.
What it will do is help provide greater context to the demand facing our hospitals, in real time, and this if anything else will hopefully lead to greater accountability - and action - for the thousands of patients waiting.