Health denies cutting cost of Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department upgrades
The health department has denied budget cuts to the upgrade of the Royal Hobart Hospital’s emergency department, but a report from February suggests otherwise.
Tasmania
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The Health Department has denied cutting $19m from a $149m upgrade to the Royal Hobart Hospital’s emergency department.
Unions representing doctors and nurses say the budget for phase two of the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department expansion has been cut to $130m and the much-needed balance of the funds diverted elsewhere.
On Friday, Acting Department of Health Secretary Dale Webster denied there had been any cuts to the budget
“There is no reduction in the budget for the ED the Royal Hobart Hospital,” he said.
“I want to say upfront, we are not cutting treatment points and beds out of the plan. We are following the independent advice to say that we need a certain size of ED and we’re
delivering on that.”
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works made $149m available for the
expansion in February.
Department of Health Deputy Secretary Infrastructure Services Andrew Hargrave told the committee the $149m price tag was value for money and in line with current market expectations.
“The Committee recommends the Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department Expansion Phase 2, at an estimated cost of $149,140,600, in accordance with the documentation submitted,” its report says.
Mr Webster said the budget had never been $149m.
“The budget is $130m … I want to say very clearly, there have been no cuts to the budget.”
President of the Australian Medical Association Tasmania Branch Michael Lumsden-Steel said there had been cuts to the budget.
“We’re not happy with the health minister — he’s letting the Tasmania population down. “There was an agreed Royal Hobart Hospital ED redevelopment which is based on demand,” he said.
“Our nursing staff are sick of the conditions they are having to work in, our paramedics are fed up without not being able to offload patients, our patients are fed up with having to wait in the waiting bays because there’s no beds in the emergency department.
“They’re not coming in here to sit on a chair and do a Sudoku, they’re sick they need to be in beds.”
President of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation James Lloyd agreed.
“Essentially with this slash in funding, we believe that this redevelopment is now going to be limited and we will not be expanding the treatment spaces,” he said.
Greens Health spokeswoman Cecily Rosol said the budget change was a shocking failure.
“This critical redevelopment now has a significantly reduced budget than was initially recommended, which nurses and doctors have confirmed will not meet the needs of Tasmanians seeking emergency healthcare,” she said.
“Is this a sign of what’s to come in the upcoming State Budget?
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