Northern Territory election: Labor and CLP share policy plans for healthcare

With less than 200 days to the election, the NT News has asked politicians their plans for the Territory’s future. Here’s what they had to say about improving health outcomes.

Shadow Health Minister Bill Yan and Health Minister Selena Uibo.

With less than 200 days to the Northern Territory election, the Territory Labor Party and the Country Liberal Party have revealed their plans to deliver stronger health outcomes across the NT. Each party had 200 words to share its policy stance on two of the biggest issues impacting health services in the Territory, read what they had to say:

What is being done to attract and retain more health staff given that nearly 600 full time equivalent roles left NT Health in the 12 months to June 2023?

Territory Labor

Increasing our health professional workforce is a priority for the Territory Labor government. We acknowledge recruitment is a challenge in the NT, but also across Australia.

We have implemented innovative ways to attract staff from within the Territory, nationally and internationally to give us the best opportunity to recruit the best people.

We have undertaken domestic and international clinical recruitment campaigns to attract medical, nursing and allied health staff.

We have launched a portal for junior nurses and nurse practitioners to register their interest to work in the NT all year round and are working with agencies to deliver skilled health care workers to the Territory over the next two years.

We know it is crucial to support and invest in our current staff to keep them in the Territory. We will work with the sector to provide more flexible employment conditions. We will continue to deliver staff training, scholarships and cadetship programs, including the NT Health Aboriginal Cadetship Program and peer support programs.

We will grow our own and deliver pathways for Territorians to enter the health profession.

The Territory Labor government has a proven track record of active investment in our health system to improve services for Territorians.

Country Liberal Party

To counter the loss of nearly 600 full-time positions from Territory Health, the CLP will take back control of our streets, rebuild the Territory’s reputation and get our economy moving forward.

Rampant community safety issues deter healthcare professionals from working in the Territory, exacerbated by frequent assaults on hospital staff. Labor spends approximately $10 million annually on security personnel at Royal Darwin Hospital.

The CLP proposes legislation for mandatory minimum sentencing for worker assaults, mandatory alcohol rehabilitation, tougher laws for violent offenders, and increased police resources.

Economic growth initiatives will boost revenue, enabling greater investment in critical services like healthcare. Policies include halving approval time frames and establishing a Territory Coordinator to attract investment.

Healthcare delivery will be decentralised into Top End and Barkly/Central regions to streamline decision-making and alleviate staffing pressures.

By empowering law enforcement and addressing federal aged care deficiencies, the CLP aims to reduce crime and ease strain on healthcare resources. This involves expanding bed capacity and upgrading hospital infrastructure for patient safety and service reliability.

The CLP remains dedicated to breaking the healthcare challenges cycle, and attracting and keeping staff here, ensuring timely, reliable care for all Territorians through reforms and targeted investments.

Royal Darwin Hospital. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

How will you prevent there from being as many Code Yellows at Top End hospitals as there were in 2023?

Territory Labor

Territory Labor is investing in health facilities that will reduce the strain on Royal Darwin Hospital by providing specialist care which will free up resources. Budget 2023 provided $25 million for a new 32 bed modular ward for RDH.

A new $58 million, 18-bed Mental Health Inpatient facility is currently under construction adjacent to RDH. Once operational, this will allow patients who require specialist treatment to be directed from the Emergency Department to the Inpatient Facility for treatment, avoiding the need for a patient to be admitted to RDH.

Planning is also underway for a new aged care facility to free up hospital beds, with interim arrangements being proposed until that is ready.

This investment, combined with planning within RDH to free up beds and implement system reform, delivered in partnership with the federal Labor government, will work to address concerns.

Country Liberal Party

Territorians and hospital staff deserve a safe and accessible healthcare system. Labor’s Code Yellow incidents in Northern Territory hospitals stem from high rates of violence, chronic disease, alcohol abuse, and insufficient aged care. Staff shortages, numbering in the hundreds, result from people leaving due to dissatisfaction and decreased liveability.

The CLP’s first priority is community safety, offering policies to empower police, reinforce laws, rehabilitate offenders, and reduce crime. Lowering crime rates will alleviate hospital pressure, ensuring beds for the sick and safer workplaces for staff.

Combating alcohol-related issues, the CLP is committed to compulsory alcohol rehabilitation and strengthened police powers to address public drinking, fostering healthier communities and reducing strain on hospitals.

Aged care facilities require expansion, and the CLP plans to stimulate growth through increased business confidence and federal partnerships, enabling ageing Territorians to live with dignity outside hospitals.

With fiscal responsibility, the CLP will prioritise essential services over frivolous projects. This approach ensures resources address critical areas effectively.