A seven-year-old Tasmanian girl is still waiting for much-needed tonsil surgery after two years, a wait that is worrying her family and having a long-term impact on her education.
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The Tasmanian Parliament heard about the girl's plight with Labor leader Rebecca White asking Premier Jeremy Rockliff whether he would address the shocking state of children's healthcare across the state.
Ms White said kids are waiting for ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures for an average of 487 days and category two patients who are supposed to be seen in 90 days are waiting 1665 days.
She said the clinically recommended time frame for the seven-year-old girl's surgery was 30 days yet she had been waiting two years, and has been told she must wait two more.
"Kids are missing out on months of school while waiting for basic surgeries," Ms White said.
"The mother is extremely upset that her daughter can't get the operations she needs for her development and is worried about the long-lasting effect it will have on her daughter's life.
"She is missing out on months of school because the family can't get the healthcare they need right now."
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he would take an active interest in the family's situation "to see what might be possible to ensure a timely and deserved attention from our medical professionals".
Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said there were challenges in meeting the significant demand for ENT outpatient appointments and surgical services in Tasmania.
"There is a shortage of ENT specialists across Australia, and Tasmania is not unique in this. In addition, ENT locums are also in extremely short supply," Ms Morgan-Wicks.
"These challenges have been recognised at the national level through the Health Chief Exec Forum and Minister's meeting."
She said action was being taken to address the wait lists and waiting times for both the Elective Surgery Wait List and the Outpatients Wait List.
"A specialist working group has been working to identify and develop alternative models of care and are currently exploring outsourcing options with Victoria," she said.
"The working group builds upon the work that has already commenced through the Outpatient Transformation Program."
Mr Rockliff said the health share of the state budget had increased, which included an additional $200 million on the four year elective surgery waitlists.
"There are many examples of people's lived experience of which I acknowledge when it comes to the challenges within our health system," Mr Rockliff said.
"One of the reasons that I maintain the portfolio of mental health and well being, and also health, was to reinforce that health is the number one priority for our government.
"What is important to me is that we reduce our elective surgery waiting lists, and we do that when we listen to clinicians and we align that listening to action when it comes to investment."
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