The Liberals’ plans to cut frontline health jobs have exposed the devastating consequences of their budget disaster.

A program of vacancy control is now in place across the Health Department, and will see frontline, allied health and critical administrative support positions go unfilled.

Make no mistake – not filling vacancies has the same practical effect as job cuts.

These Liberal cuts will inevitably have consequences for patient care and safety. A leaked internal memo from the Community Mental Health & Wellbeing division highlights frontline health jobs are clearly in the Liberals’ sights. The memo asks:

• Whether service reductions are possible
• Whether vacancies that put patient safety at risk can be managed in other ways
• Whether full-time jobs can be reduced to part-time
• Whether shifts could be left unstaffed
• Whether service reductions such as theatre closures could mean jobs don’t need to be filled

The Vacancy Control Committee set up by the Liberals comprises senior staff from HR and Finance. This begs the question, what clinical oversight will there be over these job cuts?

These cuts will be a disaster for a health system and workforce already at breaking point after 10 years of Liberal neglect.

The Premier needs to come clean on the scale of his budget disaster, and what it will mean for Tasmanians who need access to healthcare.

Ella Haddad MP
Shadow Minister for Health