Ms ROSOL question to MINISTER for HEALTH, Mr BARNETT
In February this year, the Public Works Committee recommended the expansion of the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) emergency department (ED) at a cost of $149 million, with increased capacity intended to meet growing demand over the next 10 years. In July, it was revealed that your government had trimmed this budget by $19 million, significantly reducing the expansion of the emergency department. Three weeks ago, a leaked staff email made it clear the Royal’s emergency department redevelopment has been further scaled back to the point that it will not be fit for purpose on completion, let alone in 10 years’ time.
Given the much trumpeted infrastructure spend this Budget, what possible reason can you have for abandoning the necessary approved redevelopment of the emergency department at Royal Hobart Hospital? Why have you chosen to put a billion‑dollar stadium before the health of Tasmanians?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question and her interest in health. I am pleased to be part of a Rockliff Liberal government that is delivering record funding into health: $12.1 billion over the forward Estimates, $8.3 million a day. We have employed 2500 extra health professionals in the last 10 years and provided more than 300 extra beds.
I am proud of the record, but there is a lot more to do. That is why we announced plans for a recruitment blitz during the election. We have now delivered 840 extra people into the healthcare sector on the frontline. There will be more people on the frontline this time next year than we have now. That 840 is a 165 net increase. I am pleased with that, but there is a lot more to do. In terms of health infrastructure, as the Premier has outlined, there will be further commitments in the Budget. I am pleased and proud of that and you will see more tomorrow.
You have referenced the Royal Hobart Hospital stage 2 and stage 3 redevelopments. I am aware of the concerns regarding the emergency department at the Royal Hobart Hospital, remembering that we made commitments of an extra 44 doctors and 25 nurses. We have delivered on that already, since we have been elected, for the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department.
There have been no cuts to the Royal Hobart Hospital ED redevelopment. The budget was initially $50 million. The budget is now $130 million. I can advise that we are working through the design following advice from independent health planning consultant KP Health, which outlined the number of treatment points required in the ED to meet current and future demand.
I met with the Australian Medical Association (AMA) a couple of weeks ago about this issue, along with my department. Following a very productive discussion I can advise –
Members interjecting.
Mr BARNETT – Speaker, I am trying to answer the question.
The SPEAKER – I am looking forward to you getting to it, minister, in your own time.
Mr BARNETT – I can advise that KP Health are undertaking further work on their data, which is now underway. I want to thank the AMA for the cooperative and collaborative discussions with my department and me. I have been working with the nurses’ union at a round table just last Friday at the LGH, and two round tables with the Heath and Community Services Union in recent months. I am looking forward to ongoing discussions. We all want the same thing: to ensure that the next stage is fit for purpose for both now and well into the future. I look forward to working with them and our very valuable clinicians and the awesome healthcare workers that deliver the health care that Tasmanians expect and deserve.
