CATHERINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE
MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
JULIE COLLINS MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGEING AND MENTAL HEALTH
MEMBER FOR FRANKLIN
JUSTINE KEAY MP
MEMBER FOR BRADDON
BRIAN MITCHELL MP
MEMBER FOR LYONS
ROSS HART
MEMBER FOR BASS
BEN MCGREGOR
CANDIDATE FOR CLARK
LIBERALS YET TO DETAIL ONE POLICY TO FIX THE CRISIS IN TASMANIA’S PUBLIC HOSPITALS
With less than a week to election day, it is clear Labor is the only party with a comprehensive plan to help fix the crisis in Tasmania’s public hospitals.
The Liberals are yet to detail one policy that will help solve the ambulance ramping and bed block that is causing a crisis in Tasmania’s public hospitals.
Liberal cuts to Tasmania’s health and hospital system have caused a state-wide health crisis.
Ambulance ramping is up 500 per cent in the last three years. Ambulances are stuck on ramps with patients in pain or in need of urgent medical treatment unable to get into emergency departments.
That’s why a Shorten Labor Government will open at least 64 new sub-acute beds across the state to help solve the crisis.
Labor’s commitment will take the pressure off Tasmania’s emergency departments and ambulance services, making sure every Tasmanian gets the care they deserve.
Labor’s plan is in addition to the desperate last-minute commitments in the Liberal Budget.
The Liberals have refused to match Labor’s plan which will mean under Scott Morrison the Tasmanian health crisis will continue.
Labor’s plan includes:
- $40 million for a new sub-acute ward in Hobart with at least 32 beds.
- $35 million for a new sub-acute ward co-located with the Launceston General Hospital with at least 32 new beds.
- $20 million for two walk-in care centres on the North West Coast.
- $30 million to blitz elective surgery waiting times.
- $15 million for a new Community Mental Health Hub in Launceston, including 25 acute care beds.
- An estimated $11 million to slash waiting times for cancer patients in public hospitals.
- An estimated $11 million to blitz emergency department waiting times.
- $7 million for RFDS Base in Launceston.
- $4.5 million to restore the Tazreach service for visiting medical specialist appointments in regional Tasmania.
- $3.5m million for a full headspace for Burnie and outreach services to the West Coast.
- $1.7 million for the Strength2Strength program.
Our Medicare Cancer Plan will mean 120,000 free scans and 60,000 free consultations for Tasmanians.
An estimated 85,000 older Tasmanians will have access to free dental care under our Pensioner Dental Plan.
And Labor will invest in critical services and support for Tasmania, including:
- Linking two hospitals to our National Telestroke Network.
- A new Camp Quality Liaison Officer.
- Five specialist cancer nurses.
- A Red Cross Milk Bank.
Our plan directly addresses the crisis in Tasmania’s hospitals by opening more beds and bringing 100 new doctors, nurses and health workers to North and North West Tasmania to relieve the pressure on our emergency departments, address ambulance ramping and bed block and improve patient flow.
This is a comprehensive health plan for Tasmanians which only a Shorten Labor Government can deliver.
This election will be a choice between Labor’s plan to fix Tasmania’s health crisis, or tax cuts for the top end of town under the Liberals.
The Liberals have no plan to solve the rolling crises in Tasmania’s public hospitals.
In fact, the only cure Morrison and the Liberals have for Tasmania’s public hospitals are more cuts.
The Liberals want to cut another $35 million from our State’s already underfunded hospitals. The Liberals’ cuts are having a direct and devastating impact on patients in our hospitals.
We know patients are being forced into agonising waits to be seen and waiting too long to receive urgent operations as a direct result of the Liberals’ cuts.
While Scott Morrison and the Liberals spend billions of dollars on tax loopholes for the top end of town, they are cutting millions of dollars from our state’s public hospitals and leaving all Tasmanians worse off.
Labor believes access to health care should depend on your Medicare card, not your credit card.
Labor will deliver a fair go for all Tasmanians, not just the top end of town.
SUNDAY, 12 MAY 2019