Confirmation the GP Tax will smash public hospitals has emerged at Senate Select Health Committee hearings in Adelaide.
The South Australian Health Department has told today’s hearing an extra 290,000 patients will be driven into its public hospital emergency department due to the GP Tax, costing the state $80 million.
SA Health estimates the current average 20 minute wait time in its emergency departments would blow out to 66 minutes due to the GP Tax.
That backs up scenarios prepared for the NSW Government that an extra 500,000 people a year would choke the state’s emergency departments if the GP Tax is introduced.
Leaked internal document today also reveal that senior staff at three Sydney hospitals warned the Baird Government the GP Tax would swamp their emergency departments, with children, the poor and the elderly worst affected.
Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King said today’s evidence from a second state government confirms the GP Tax would be a disaster for every public hospital in every state and territory.
“Ever since the GP Tax was first mooted, Labor has been warning it would be bad for patients, bad for doctors, bad for the health system and bad for the Budget,” Ms King said.
“What further evidence do Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton need that their GP Tax is a disaster for health and must be abandoned.
“The time is now long overdue for them to listen to what all the experts, Labor and now even their coalition colleagues are telling them and dump this tax for good.”