All Tasmanians will be horrified at the appalling performance of the Hodgman Liberal Government and Health Minister Michael Ferguson who has overseen a health and hospital system pushed beyond the point of crisis.
Shadow Health Minister Sarah Lovell said the proof was in shocking new data released today which shows Tasmanians face a health and hospital system that is in catastrophe under a Minister who continues to deny it.
Updated health statistics today show that:
- The number of patients waiting for elective surgery has grown by nearly 3,000 to more than 9,000 in just 12 months
- Patients are waiting longer to have their surgery, with the number of patients seen within the clinically recommended time frame falling to 64 per cent statewide
- There are nearly 31,000 patients waiting for an appointment with a specialist
- Tasmania's ambulances are queued outside hospitals for longer, leaving them unable to attend emergencies
- Just 65 per cent of patients waiting in the Emergency Department were seen within the recommended time frame
"I challenge Michael Ferguson to stand before Tasmanians today and deny - yet again - that there a crisis in health and the hospital system," Ms Lovell said.
"I defy him to tell Tasmanians - again - that elective surgery wait lists are decreasing and that ambulance ramping is reducing on his watch, when his own data shows the complete opposite.
"Can the Premier really sit back and allow this uncaring and incompetent Minister to oversee a health system that is in fact beyond crisis?
"These figures are simply appalling.
"Tasmanians are simply not getting even adequate health care, health and hospital staff have been pushed beyond the brink and this Minister cannot be allowed to continue."
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Health Minister
