Feds called in as Tasmanian health crisis deepens

Clark MP Andrew Wilkie will ask for an urgent meeting with the PM, Treasurer and Health Minister amid alarming Tasmanian health statistics.

THE Prime Minister, federal Treasurer and federal Health Minister will be asked to intervene in Tasmania’s deepening health crisis this week.

Clark independent MP Andrew Wilkie will seek a meeting with the trio as he takes up the fight following the latest report on Tasmania’s health system showing a blowout in waiting lists and emergency department waiting times.

The Health System Dashboard shows elective surgery waiting lists have increased by 23 per cent in just a year.

Labor said state Health Minister Michael Ferguson should be sacked, but he said the blowout was simply due to increased demand.

Mr Wilkie told the Sunday Tasmanian he would seek to speak to federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg about ensuring all federal funds earmarked for health were in fact spent on health in the state.

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“This is needed because since it was elected in 2014, the Hodgman Government has diverted $1.6 billion in health-related GST to other areas,” he said.

“In other words, the health crisis in Tasmania is not the result of the State Government not having enough money, but rather its deliberate decision to spend the money elsewhere.

“This misuse of health-related GST money is either blithering incompetence by the State Government, or a deliberate fraud perpetrated on the Commonwealth.”

Mr Wilkie called on Mr Ferguson to resign or Premier Will Hodgman to sack him, but Mr Hodgman is sticking by his minister and rejected Mr Wilkie’s claims about health spending.

A Government spokesman said the health budget was now more than $2 billion greater over four years than it was in 2013-14.

“We are spending a greater share of the total budget on health — it has risen from 25 per cent of the entire budget a decade ago, to nearly 32 per cent. It proves beyond doubt that we are acting to meet demand,” he said.

“Gratuitous and pointless political commentary from Mr Wilkie contributes nothing to the task of building a stronger health system.”

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While the health debate rages at the political level, people such as Derwent Valley retiree John Tolmie are languishing in the system.

Mr Tolmie, 79, of Glenora, has been told he faces a wait of more than 300 days to see an orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal Hobart Hospital after being referred by his GP.

Mr Tolmie has had problems with his right knee for more than nine months.

“It’s painful most days. I’d say an eight or 10 on the scale,” he said. “It’s hard just to walk with it sometimes.”

Mr Tolmie said a friend at Glenorchy was also on the RHH waiting list and had been told to expect a delay of more than 250 days.