Hobart GP takes aim at Tasmanian Health Minister Michael Ferguson

A trainee GP has given the Tasmanian health system a whack in a Facebook post she says was prompted by the death of a man in a Royal Hobart Hospital waiting room chair. FIND OUT WHAT SHE SAID.

GP registrar Brittany Birrell has taken aim at the Tasmanian health system in a Facebook post she says was prompted by the death of a man in a Royal Hobart Hospital waiting room chair. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

A trainee GP has taken aim at the Tasmanian health system in a Facebook post she says was prompted by the death of a man in a Royal Hobart Hospital waiting room chair.

GP registrar Brittany Birrell’s open letter to Health Minister Michael Ferguson has been shared more than 180 times since it was posted online on April 13 — the day after the man’s death.

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Dr Birrell’s post said GP registrars were visited by Mr Ferguson earlier this year and asked by the Bass MHA what they most enjoyed about starting general practice training.

“I wanted to tell you that the best part of being a general practice registrar was escaping the pressures and burdens of working in the public health system with inadequate funding, inadequate staffing and most of all, inadequate beds,” Dr Birrell said.

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But the death of the elderly man in the RHH after waiting hours in the emergency department had given her cause to reflect, she said.

“I know the effect his death would have on their mental health, the effect that the immense pressures of your health system is already having on all of our mental health,” she said.

“I shouldn’t have bitten my tongue. Delay to admission has been shown to be independently adversely related to mortality outcome.

“The best part about being a GP, is escaping your influence.”

Premier Will Hodgman and Minister Michael Ferguson at Hobart Reparation Hospital. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

A government spokesman said: “The Government is continuing to support staff at the hospital and we again thank them for their hard work and professionalism.

“This incident is subject to a Coroner’s investigation and an internal investigation, and we would urge caution on speculation while this process occurs.

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“What we can say is that everyone including the Government and our staff are doing everything we can to meet growing demand and build more wards.”

The Tasmanian Health Service launched an internal investigation into the death of the man — described by Mr Ferguson as “elderly” — last week.

He had waited several hours in the RHH emergency department before his death early on April 12.

THS southern executive operations director Susan Gannon wrote to staff to encourage those affected by the man’s death to access the employee assistance program.

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