The Liberal Government's supposed big ticket health announcement today is a complete sham that has already fallen apart.
Shadow Health Minister Dr Bastian Seidel said the Liberals' proposal to fix its own crisis on out-of-control elective surgery and outpatient waiting lists was unworkable, unrealistic and comes seven years too late.
"The Liberal Government has had seven years to fix up their elective surgery mess and to fix their outpatient appointment mess – they are directly responsible for more than 50,000 Tasmanians waiting for specialist outpatient appointments and for more than 12,000 patients who need necessary surgery," Dr Seidel said.
"And today they announced that they are going to have 22,000 surgeries done by 10 additional doctors. How is that possible? How is that going to work?
"It's completely and utterly deluded.
"But Tasmanians should not be surprised. While they are directly responsible for the mess in the state's health and hospital system, the fact is the Liberals have run out of ideas about how to fix it.
"We now have patients who are dying while they are waiting for necessary surgery. We now have patients dying because they are waiting for specialist outpatient appointments.
"What the Liberals have come up with today is the best they can do and it's a disgrace."
Dr Seidel said the $156 million promised by the Liberals today was also a mistruth with $120m extra for surgeries and $36.4 million previously announced.
Additionally, the government's claim to fast-track the private hospital in Launceston was laughable given they have been talking about it since 2018.
"The best they have been able to tell Tasmanians today around the $580 million LGH expansion is that they will come up with a plan within six months and then approach the Federal Government to pay for it.
"This is an appalling outcome for an important development they have been talking about for four years.
"Tasmanians already knew the Liberals are just not to be trusted on health and today they have more definitive proof."
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Dr Bastian Seidel MLC Shadow Health Minister |
