Key Points
A Rebecca White Labor Government will take immediate action to repair our health system from day one.
While there are no silver bullets, Labor will start relieving pressure on the health system by freeing up space in hospitals and emergency departments with our 5-point Immediate Action Plan.
Labor will:
- Make hospitals our highest priority
- Offer permanent jobs to 500 health workers
- Employ 32 new specialist hospital flow staff
- Expand community beds statewide
- Create 3 more community paramedic hubs
All these actions will make more space available at our major hospitals.
After 10 years of a Liberal government there are no overnight fixes, but Labor has a common-sense plan to start repairing our health system.
Why we need it
After ten years in office, the Liberals have given up on health and Tasmanians are facing bed block, ambulance ramping and long waitlists for necessary surgery.
Ten years ago, 85% of Tasmanians were seen on time in emergency departments, above the national average. Now, it’s dropped to less than half while the proportion of people waiting for more than 4 hours has skyrocketed.
Because of chronic overcrowding and under-resourcing, many health professionals have left and those remaining have depleted morale. We need to take immediate action before more key workers leave.
But all the Liberals’ can come up with is $140m in health spending cuts. They have no plan to fix it and no way out of the problem. By contrast, Labor does not accept that Tasmanians should continue to have poorer health than other Australians, and we have a plan to start addressing the issues as soon as we are elected.
The details
Under Labor, Tasmanians will get the care they deserve when they need it the most.
Labor will start relieving the pressure on our health system with our 5-point Immediate Action Plan created in consideration of expert recommendations to the ramping and ED inquiries.
All actions will commence within the first 12 months of a Rebecca White Labor Government.
1. Make Hospitals our Highest Priority
Under the Rockliff Government, the LGH redevelopment will not be complete until 2034, RHH not until 2050 and the North West Hospitals redevelopment plans have not started. There hasn’t been a cent of Federal funding locked in for over a billion dollars’ worth of work.
Tasmanians can't afford to wait that long.
Labor will make these projects Tasmania’s top priority for Federal Government funding over the next four years, and will work with them to deliver these projects sooner.
2. Jobs for Health Workers
A Rebecca White Labor Government will offer 500 fixed-term and casual health workers permanent jobs.
Currently, up to 25% of health workers are fixed term or casual. This includes doctors, specialists, paramedic, allied health staff, nurses and midwives.
We will put a stop to the casualisation of the health workforce, which has forced hundreds of talented health workers out of our state.
3. 32 New Specialist Hospital Flow Staff
We will provide $4.8 million per annum to employ 32 new staff, including Psychiatrist Emergency Nurses, Transfer Initiative Nurses, Patient Flow Commanders and Discharge Planners to help with safer admissions and discharges.
The Liberal Government has ignored requests from the College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and the Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) to fund these positions for years. We will just get in and do it.
Transfer Initiative Nurses and Patient Flow Commanders will provide dedicated, specialist care to improve flow to support paramedic crews with faster access to care for patients arriving by ambulance, improving support and care for all patients waiting treatment and better coordination of patient flow through hospitals. Discharge planners will have responsibility to safely transition patients home with community supports.
Psychiatric Emergency Nurses fulfil a vital service in managing psychiatric presentations safely. The Liberals have cut these valuable roles but we will restore them as soon as possible.
4. Expand Community Beds Statewide
Labor will double the amount of beds in the Hospital-in-the-Home (HITH) initiative from 22 to 44 beds immediately.
HITH beds are provided for elderly patients who are cared for as admitted hospital inpatients at their home. The care may include home visits, community health clinic visits or virtual monitoring. The ability for earlier discharge or to stay at home under care longer improves patient outcomes while freeing up hospital beds. The HITH team includes nurse practitioners, nurses, a hospital doctor and pharmacist with allied health referrals as required.
Labor will also expand the Mental Health Emergency Response Service (Police, Ambulance, and Clinician Early Response) statewide to include a permanent presence in the Northwest and in Launceston.
There have already been approximately 45 fewer mental health presentations at the Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department each month because of this program. The program is designed to provide evidence-based mental health care in the community for those experiencing distress and to reduce Emergency Department presentations with better care provided at home.
5. 3 More Community Paramedic Hubs
Labor in Government will double the locations providing community paramedics to treat more people at home and keep them out of Emergency Departments.
Community Paramedics are clinically trained and have authority to treat minor illnesses and injuries at the scene. Labor will provide 3 new community paramedicine vehicles and additional 12 paramedics to be deployed at St Marys, Claremont and Mowbray.
The total cost of this plan is $10.9m/pa.