Hospitals across the state battle staff shortages

Diabetic patients are the latest casualty of an overstretched Tasmanian health system as demand for services outstrips staff capacity. SEE THE LATEST >>

The Royal Hobart Hospital

DIABETIC patients are the latest casualty of an overstretched Tasmanian health system as demand for services outstrips staff capacity.

In Launceston, GPs have been told there are now limits on services for patients with diabetes at the Launceston General Hospital.

John Morris Diabetes Services told GPs the increase in demand for services had not been matched by an increase in staffing and the centre was unable to provide timely dietician appointments.

“Additionally, our psychologist has been redeployed within the LGH with no alternative support provided for our patients.”

“We therefore wish to inform you that until the workforce issues have been resolved we are prioritising patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Letter regarding the limitation in dietetics and psychologist services for patients with diabetes at LGH. Supplied.

“Many patients will now need your referral in the community.”

On Thursday, the Tasmanian Health Service escalated to Level 2 of its Covid Management Plan which will impact public hospitals and community health centres in the state’s North-West.

It follows a recommendation from the Regional Health Management Team and is based on the level of Covid-positive inpatients, staff absences, and demand for services. Staff will now be required to wear N95 masks and approved protective eyewear in all clinical areas.

Visitors are required to complete the health screening process before entering a THS facility, including the North West Regional Hospital, the Mersey Community Hospital, district hospitals and clinics.

At the NWRH and MCH, no more than two visitors per patient are allowed per day and one visitor at a time can stay for no more than one hour.

‘Bad signs’ for overburdened health system

HOSPITAL staff are being asked to voluntarily come in during their Christmas leave, with the scourge of Covid infections among frontline staff auguring a “very difficult” festive season in Tasmania’s health system.

Meanwhile, non-cleaning staff – like hospital aides and allied health assistants – are being offered cleaning shifts at overtime rates.

Health worker union bosses have warned these were bad signs for an already overburdened health system, which is on the precipice of a level four “disaster” Covid escalation management plan.

With 240 frontline health care workers, including paramedics, across Tasmania currently off work with Covid, unions are warning the level of unfilled hospital shifts are likely to make Christmas and New Year “very difficult” this year.

The Mercury reported on Friday that hospital bosses were expected to ask staff to cancel their Christmas leave to cope with the Covid-induced crisis.

While that hasn’t been mandated, union bosses have confirmed their members had been asked to do so on a voluntary basis.

Emily Shepherd, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation secretary, said nursing staff had been sent emails this week, asking them “to consider picking up shifts”.

“But they’re not being recalled at the moment,” she said, adding that any decision to mandate the cancelling of Christmas leave would need to be made by the emergency operations and control centre commander.

“I know managers are also having informal discussions with staff about whether they’d be willing to pick up shifts.

“But there’s been no mandate or requirement for staff to cancel booked leave.”

The Health and Community Services Union Tasmanian branch confirmed many of its members were currently on sick leave with Covid and other illnesses.

Assistant state secretary Lucas Digney said hospitals across the state would have “serious issues” having enough clinicians to fill rosters over the festive season.

He said hospital operations staff were also wiped out – with non-cleaning staff like allied health assistants being offered cleaning shifts at overtime rates.

“It indicates where they’re at in terms of being able to provide a contingency workforce,” he said.

“It’s likely the Christmas period, between now and the New Year, is going to be very difficult for health care workers, much the way it was last Christmas.”

Shadow Health Minister Anita Dow said news the hospital’s workforce was at “breaking point” was “heartbreaking”.

Shadow Health Minister Anita Dow said news the hospital’s workforce was at ‘breaking point’ was ‘heartbreaking.’

“It’s also a completely unsustainable approach from a Government that said it had planned and was prepared for increased demand across our hospital system,” she said.

“It’s unbelievable that crises like this are now a regular occurrence in Tasmania.”

‘All hands on deck’: Health systems staff shortages

HEALTH authorities are about to ask frontline staff to cancel their Christmas leave as surging demand puts the state’s health system on the cusp of ‘disaster’ footing.

At the same time, the state’s Ambulance service is struggling to fill dozens of vacant shifts at one of the busiest times of year.

The Royal Hobart Hospital is operating at level three of its four-stage Covid escalation management plan. Level four is ‘disaster’.

Greens Health spokesman Rosalie Woodruff described the current situation as “a perfect storm”.

“The situation at the Royal this Christmas is terrible for patients and staff,” she said.

“It’s a perfect storm, made worse by Jeremy Rockliff’s decision to let Covid spread unchecked.”

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff describes the current situation as a ‘perfect storm’. Picture: David Killick

Department of Health Deputy Secretary, Hospitals and Primary Care Dale Webster said high demand at the hospital was being managed.

“The Royal Hobart Hospital is at Level 3 of its Covid-19 Escalation Management Plan, and is implementing standard Level 3 protocols to manage increased demand pressure,” he said.

“Escalation levels are well-established and effective protocols that enable hospitals to prioritise available resources and continue delivering essential services based on demand.

Deputy Secretary Hospitals and Primary Care Dale Webster said high demand at the hospital was being managed.

“Contingencies are in place to ensure the continued safe delivery of critical services, including consideration of Covid-related staff absences and annual leave arrangements.”

Australian Medical Association state vice president Annette Barratt said on Thursday, 100 staff at the RHH Hospital were off sick with Covid, along with more than 50 patients – meaning management would need to bring employees in from their Christmas breaks.

She said currently it was unclear how many people in Tasmania were currently infected with Covid given “people are not testing, people are not reporting, and the government is not publishing the data”.

“But everyone you speak to has Covid,” she said. “The numbers are rampant, they’re everywhere.

“The hospital staff is not that big, for 100 people to be off is huge.”

Earlier in the week it was revealed that the paediatric ward on K6 West has been separated from K6 East, and turned onto a Covid ward as case numbers rise.

In addition to staffing issues afflicting the hospital, Ms Woodruff said Ambulance Tasmania had 118 vacant shifts over the holiday period.

Ambulance Tasmania Director of Operations Jordan Emery said absences were being managed.

Ambulance Tasmania Director of Operations Jordan Emery speaks to the media on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.

“Like all other health and emergency services, AT can be impacted by staff absences at this time of year, including unplanned sick leave,” he said.

“Over the 10 day period from 23 December to 2 January, 92 per cent of total shifts in Ambulance Tasmania are currently filled and our workforce planning team is working hard to increase this further through the use of casual employees and overtime.

“We have well-established contingency plans in place to manage staff absence and ensure the emergency care needs of the community are met.

“All ambulances operate with safe levels of staffing and the community can have confidence that our ambulance crews will be there if they need them.”

Tasmania’s Premier has confirmed it will be “all hands on deck” as the health system struggles with increased demand and staff shortages leading into the holiday period.

“We need as many hands as possible as hospitals around the country experience pressure due to Covid,” Jeremy Rockliff said.

“People need to be cared for.”

Mr Rockliff said he appreciated everyone working over Christmas.

“I give heartfelt thanks to all health staff who support Tasmanian at this time of year.”

Greens health spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said the news was disturbing.

“This is one of the busiest times of the year for paramedics,” she said.

“Jeremy Rockliff has been on notice for years that Ambulance Tasmania has a catastrophic lack of resourcing to match increased demand.

“This is a predicted shortage that should have been planned for well in advance. It shows just how far Jeremy Rockliff’s attention has wandered from health and onto what he considers to be more important matters.

“Jeremy Rockliff is in his ivory tower in the Executive Building, planning an unneeded billion dollar stadium, while Tasmanians in crisis cannot get a paramedic. It is shameful, and we don’t accept it as a new normal.”