Liberal under-funding of health is why an elderly man waited 42 hours for emergency surgery for a gruesome hand injury, Labor says.
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East Devonport man Trevor New, 88, was driven to the Launceston General Hospital on Monday afternoon by daughter Di Sheridan after maiming his left hand in a grinder accident at home.
His operation started on Wednesday morning.
Mr New's family said he lost a finger
Shadow Health Minister Anita Dow said it was a terrible situation for Mr New and she was pleased he finally got the treatment he needed.
"But this is the result of a health and hospital system that has been chronically under-funded and under-resourced by successive Liberal governments over the past eight years," Ms Dow said.
"Doctors and nurses at the front line are doing their absolute best, but they cannot deliver if they are not provided the resources they need to do their jobs.
"The fact that patients have been told this week to stay away from the LGH unless they have a life-threatening emergency shows a health and hospital system in absolute crisis and it is beyond time for the Rockliff-Ferguson government to do something and fix an untenable situation."
Ms Dow said the state budget would be a good place to start "by providing funding to address chronic bed block and allow emergency departments to be properly staffed so frontline staff are better supported and resourced and are able to cope".
Treasurer Michael Ferguson last week said the government was continuing to increase investment in "the things that matter to Tasmanians", such as health, education, housing and building a thriving community.
Premier and Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff on Wednesday said clinicians made operational decisions every day and prioritised care based on triage principles, with the most critically unwell patients treated first.
The Health Department on Tuesday said there had been a surge in demand at the LGH, while a medical ward had been closed to new admissions after a coronavirus outbreak and that was affecting patient flow.