[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_AMA Public Hospital Report Indictment on Govt_C O'Connor MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

A.M.A. PUBLIC HOSPITAL REPORT A DAMNING INDICTMENT ON GOVERNMENT

Cassy O'Connor MP
Greens Shadow Health Spokesperson

Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Bartlett Government to
acknowledge Tasmania's public hospital system is in urgent need of
resources and funding, and to heed the Australian Medical Association's
Public Hospital Report Card 2008 which paints an unflattering picture of
public hospital outcomes in Tasmania. 

Greens Shadow Health spokesperson Cassy O'Connor MP said the A.M.A.'s
report revealed Tasmania's elective surgery waiting times - up 40% in
the past decade - are among the worst in the nation.

"The A.M.A. calls on all levels of government to take immediate action
to repair the public hospital system," Ms O'Connor said.  

"The Bartlett Government is still failing to address the chronic issues
in our public health system.  In part, this situation has come about as
a result of years, and decades of neglect from both State and
Commonwealth governments, but it is also about the misplaced priorities
of Labor in Tasmania."

"While the Tasmanian government continues to subsidise Gunns and
unsustainable forestry operations; while it has provided tens of
millions out of the public purse for divisive wilderness roads, and a
state of the art Elwick racetrack  ... on the public health front,
waiting lists are unacceptably long with too many Tasmanians are waiting
years, stressed and in pain, for routine surgery."  

"Our public hospitals are short on beds, and specialist staff which they
are having trouble attracting and retaining.  The  A.M.A. makes it clear
that governments have been slashing public hospital expenditure in the
hope the same level of services will be provided.  This approach has
manifestly failed."

"As the A.M.A. is saying, it's time for the Tasmanian Labor Government
to listen more carefully to what Tasmanians are saying about their wants
and needs for health care.  It's time for this government to put
Tasmania's public hospitals at the top of the funding and reform
agenda," Ms O'Connor said.




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