AMA lashes State Government over health spending promises

The top doctor’s group has lashed the Government over its promises on Royal Hobart Hospital spending, saying there was no sign of meeting the target set by the recycled announcement.

The Royal Hobart Hospital has been promised $132 million to recruit more staff and open more beds, but the AMA said it sounded like “a recycling of last year’s announcement”.

THE state’s peak doctor’s body has lashed the Government over its promises on Royal Hobart Hospital spending — saying there was no sign of meeting the target set by the recycled announcement.

As the Mercury revealed on Wednesday, the State Government said it would commit $132 million to open and staff new beds at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

EXPANDED ED FOR RHH IN STATE BUDGET HEALTH SPEND

The money will be spent over the next four years after stage 1 of the hospital’s refurbishment was completed to lift bed numbers at the hospital and employ 300 more nurses, 60 more doctors and 40 allied health professionals would need to be employed.

But AMA state president Professor John Burgess said staff had not been consulted about the ambitious plan.

“The AMA first learnt of this this morning when we read it in the Mercury,” he said.

“So to us it smacks of a stunt. The announcement regarding extra beds looks like a recycling of last year’s announcement of which we’ve seen no practical effort to recruit the extra staff that were promised one year ago.

“To recruit 300 skilled staff — nursing staff, medical staff, allied health staff – takes a concerted campaign of recruitment.

“That won’t happen overnight but it must start within the coming days. It must be something the minister takes responsibility for ensuring is delivered by his department.”

AMA state president Professor John Burgess.

Dr Burgess said the state’s hospitals were already operating under staffing deficits.

“The hospitals in this state are in crisis,” he said. “They need staff.

“Those staff need to be recruited and it’s only then that beds can be opened.

“So we’re very disappointed that the Government has made yet again an announcement but not backed it up at the same time with evidence of funding to actually recruit staff.

“Last year they announced that they would be increasing bed numbers by close to 300 beds. “We haven’t seen any sign of that occurring at a practical level for the wards in our hospitals.”

Premier Will Hodgman said the Government was committed to improving the state’s health system.

“It’s disappointing to hear that the AMA who are usually demanding of Government increased resources, more staff, more money would complain about it when we do it,” he said.

“The budget we release tomorrow will contain a significant investment into health infrastructure.

“We want to work constructively with the AMA to get those people working in our health system as soon as we can.”