Health Minister announces yearly funding for new RHH emergency department staff

The Health Minister has announced funding to enable the Royal Hobart Hospital’s emergency department to recruit new staff.

The Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department wil see more staff after an injection of funds. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

HEALTH Minister Michael Ferguson has announced funding of $5 million a year to enable the Royal Hobart Hospital’s emergency department to recruit new staff.

The announcement has been welcomed by the Australian Medical Association, but Labor leader Rebecca White said it was too little, too late.

Mr Ferguson said the hospital’s emergency department has experienced sustained growth in demand, with a 21 per cent rise in admissions over the past three years.

He said based on proposals prepared by clinical staff at the hospital, the $5 million was expected to include:

FIVE new full-time equivalent senior emergency department doctors.

TEN new full-time equivalent resident emergency department doctors.

ADDITIONAL nursing positions, including nurse practitioners.

ALLIED health support.

ADDITIONAL ancillary support staff to improve bed flow.

The RHH executive will have autonomy and authority to allocate the new funding — which is immediately available — in consultation with the senior leadership of the ED.

“While we complete the construction program of the redevelopment, which is really going to provide the physical opportunity for more spaces, we are listening … and responding in a way that we can support our staff so they can support our patients,” Mr Ferguson said.

“We’re [also] looking at ways that we can provide a larger emergency department, through the work of the Clinical Planning Taskforce.”

Health Minister Michael Ferguson, left, and Royal Hobart Hospital clinical director Craig Quarmby at the announcement of the new funding. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

RHH executive clinical director Craig Quarmby said the announcement was fantastic news for the hospital’s staff.

“This is … going to make a dramatic impact to them, and that results in a dramatic impact on the care that we deliver,” Dr Quarmby said

Ms White said the announcement was a Band-Aid solution.

“The response now by the Minister is almost too late to address the problem, and the $5 million announcement is far too small given there’s a $100 million black hole in the health budget,” she said.

“I think that staff looking at working in the Tasmanian health system are going to wonder why they would come and work for this Health Minister, given he has been too stubborn to negotiate around wages, nurses are taking industrial action nearly daily, there are more than 200 nursing vacancies across the state which haven’t been filled, and they are working in extreme conditions.”

AMA Tasmania president John Davis said the funding would “better support our dedicated staff who are working in the face of growing demand”.

He said it was a significant step and, while lots more needed to be done, he was “pleased that the Government have found the funds to inject real additional staff into the emergency department”.