New Health Minister Sarah Courtney must commit to answering serious questions about chronic under-resourcing of ambulances services in Tasmania.
Shadow Health Minister, Sarah Lovell, said it was concerning that in Parliament today, Minister Courtney was unable to confirm whether only one of the promised 42 regional paramedics had been employed.
"The Minister failed to answer this simple question which shows she isn't on top of her portfolio and isn't listening to the desperate pleas of hard-working paramedics," Ms Lovell said.
"We know that in July, an ambulance crew from Mowbray travelled the 400km round trip to Bridgewater to prop up systematic failures caused by critical under-resourcing of ambulance services.
"There are just four ambulance crews in Launceston which means one quarter of the resource was sent south to cover shift vacancies, which left the north of the state without adequate coverage.
"At the same time, ambulance ramping at the Launceston General Hospital has been severe, with crews sent from the North West to cover shifts there due to under-resourcing.
"The Minister needs to get across her portfolio. She must tell Tasmanians how many of the promised 42 regional paramedics have been employed and make it a priority to deliver on this commitment."
| Sarah Lovell MLC Shadow Health Minister |
