CHANGES TO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
President of the AMA Dr John Davis recognises the acknowledgement and further investment by the Government into the crisis in our emergency departments at both the Royal Hobart Hospital and the Launceston General Hospital. Admittedly a long time coming, these measures will go some way to helping staff and patients.
While the elements of the package are promising it’s disappointing that it is only for a six-month period. This has been a long-term problem and requires a long-term solution.
AMA welcomes the boosted cleaning capacity and more on call resources to meet high demand as well as the increase in opening hours of the pathology service which will decrease turnaround times for patients.
The AMA notes the Government’s commitment to a streamlined system, but it must be clarified and understood and thoroughly consulted within exact detail with relevant clinical teams.
Dr Davis said, “These measures have the potential to be of some assistance to both emergency departments in the short term, but we must strategically deal with the longstanding problem of inadequate hospital inpatient bed capacity that is the key factor driving ED overcrowding.”
ENDS
Media contact: Nadine Cove, AMA Tasmania 0409 159 285