Labor's Anita Dow says better access to cardiac care needed

During budget estimates, the government said it was reviewing cardiac services and had engaged the expertise of St Vincent's Heart Centre Professor Andrew MacIsaac.

Labor's health spokeswoman Anita Dow said Mr Barnett must release the findings of the MacIsaac review if the state's situation is to improve.

"While we understand the government has received a verbal briefing from Professor MacIsaac, his final written report is yet to be made public - and it should be," Ms Dow said.

"Health Minister Guy Barnett needs to make cardiac care a priority and release Professor MacIssac's report."

Ms Dow said the report was necessary to improve cardiac care across the state.

"The government's own outpatient data shows that urgent Northern cardiology patients are currently waiting 201 days just to receive an appointment with a cardiologist, while in the South patients are waiting 148 days," Ms Dow said.

"This is shocking.

"Access to timely cardiac care is critical, as is access to cardiac beds, which we desperately need across Tasmania."

The Tasmanian Health Service released the estimated outpatient appointment waiting times around the state on July 28, 2023.

In Northern Tasmania, patients have an average waiting time of 841 and 872 days for a semi-urgent and non-urgent cardiology appointment. Southern Tasmania has wait times of 360 and 831 days, while the North-West has wait times of 164 and 169 days.

A Department of Health spokesperson said a review was commissioned into the model of cardiac care across Tasmania.

"A report led by Professor Andrew MacIsaac, the director of cardiology at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, has been received by the department and is currently undergoing review," the spokesperson said.

"The department will consult widely on its recommendations in order to develop an implementation plan and staging for recommended changes and improvements, including base infrastructure, patient flow, and service types, and resourcing."

Ms Dow said the government must do more to help Tasmania's health system, and soon.

"In the North-West, we understand patients may be waiting up to a week to be transferred to the Launceston General Hospital for urgent diagnostic testing or coronary intervention," Ms Dow said.

"It is the same for those patients at the LGH who are waiting to be transferred to Hobart for cardiothoracic surgery, with both instances placing further pressure on our hospitals and contributing to bed block.

"There have also been concerns raised about cardiac services at the LGH, which the new Health Minister must address immediately."

Why not have your say? Write a letter to the editor here:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: