Royal Hobart Hospital leaves note for patients seeing if they would like to leave early

Patients at the Royal Hobart Hospital have been given notices asking them to consider going home early in the wake of severe staff shortages. FULL LETTER + REACTIONS>>>

Royal Hobart Hospital note.

Patients at the Royal Hobart Hospital have been given notices asking them to consider going home early in the wake of severe staff shortages.

Labor health spokeswoman Anita Dow said patients had received a message offering them support at home if they wanted to be discharged early.

“If you feel that you may be able to go home earlier than scheduled, it is worth having this discussion with your treatment team,” the notice said.

The notices have been given to patients since Thursday.

State Health Commander and Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the RHH was currently managing significant increased demand for its services, “resulting in the need to take a number of measures to ensure the hospital is able to meet the needs of the community”.

“Notices have been distributed to patients at the RHH offering the opportunity that they may wish to consider the possibility of being discharged earlier than scheduled, where it is clinically appropriate,” she said.

“Patients were encouraged to discuss this with their treatment team, noting that in some cases, supports can be provided in a patient’s home to ensure they are able to continue to receive care remotely.”

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks.

Ms Dow, a nurse, said it was a regular occurrence for Tasmanians to be asked to avoid attending emergency departments but described the notices as a “desperate measure”.

“People are in hospital because they require medical care and adequate discharge planning takes time, especially at Christmas when community-based services are reduced,” she said.

“Patients should be discharged because medical and nursing staff say it’s safe for them to go home, not just because there aren’t enough beds or staff available.

“This desperate measure is yet another example of the Liberals’ mismanagement of our health system, the impossible strain staff are routinely asked to work under and the fact Tasmanians aren’t getting access to care when and where they need it.”

Deputy Labor leader Anita Dow. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian secretary Emily Shepherd said during the hospital’s Code Yellow steps needed to be taken outside expected practices including assessing individual patients to determine whether it was appropriate for an early discharge.

She conceded early discharges could be risky for some patients.

“While every effort is made to ensure these types of practices, such as earlier discharges are clinically appropriate, they are not without risk.

“Patients and their families and carers should feel comfortable to advocate if they do not think it safe or appropriate to leave hospital.”

Ms Shepherd said it was “disappointing and frustrating” measures such as a Code Yellow have to be taken as a result of inadequate staffing.

“The Tasmanian government committed to ANMF members in July to work collaboratively to develop a workforce strategy to reduce the enormous burden that’s been placed upon nursing and midwifery staff during Covid peaks.”

Originally published as Royal Hobart Hospital leaves note for patients seeing if they would like to leave early