Day 23 since Mersey's A&E shutdown began:
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During today's press conference, after being questioned, our health minister revealed some of the flow on effects of shutting down Tasmania's north western hospitals.
The Launceston General Hospital (LGH) is under extreme pressure with many Ambulances ramped due to unavailability of beds.
Prior to the shutdown of Mersey's A&E many of these patients would have recieved prompt care and admitted if necessary to Mersey.
Instead we have patient's lying in ambulances outside the LGH not only suffering but also taking an ambulance out of action for the duration of their stay, putting the rest of the community at risk.
Right now there is a clean, ready to go, fully operational hospital, waiting in Latrobe to take the load off LGH. A hospital that is managing to isolate Covid-19 patients thus far WITHOUT suffering an outbreak. A hospital that helps tens of thousands of patients a year.
The minister today spoke of purchasing extra private hospital beds to help LGH while waiting for Burnie hospital to be cleaned but why not move services to the Mersey instead?
How about AusMat move next to the Mersey to make this happen?
When a journalist asked about reopening MCH emergency during todays press conference the minister replied: "I want to be clear to that community that it is my expectation that the emergency department will reopen ... but I can't give a timeline on when that will be".
Does her vague comment give YOU reassurence that the Mersey Emergency Department will be open anytime soon?
Recall that 23 days ago this same minister stated in the advocate that Mersey would remain Covid-19 free, yet here we are.
She also today reaffirmed the root cause of the problem: the medically and financially irresponsible reliance on long term locum staffing at the Mersey.
In 2017 the federal government transferred ownership of the Mersey to the Tasmanian government and supplied funding for the next 10 years.
Why hasn't this funding been used responsibly to provide permanent positions for emergency doctors wishing to move into the region with their families?
Why does the government prefer to waste thousands of dollars a day on a locum instead?
Does this lack of commitment to the Mersey foreshadow the government's intentions for 7 years time when funding responsibiliy returns to the state?
Perhaps they feel it's harder to shut down a hospital filled with permanent staff...
For locals of the vast region served by the MCH emergency department this is not a new battle. They took our specialists, they took our maternity, and much much more.
Don't let them take away our Mersey piece by piece.
WE WANT THE MERSEY EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT REOPENED.
WE WANT AN IRONCLAD TIMELINE AND PROCESS FOR THIS REOPENING TO OCCUR.
WE WANT PERMANENT STAFFING SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
Dont be afraid to jump on the press conference live streams and every other outlet to ask the hard questions!
Stay safe, please keep sharing this petition far and wide!
Tasmanian Citizen.