Health Minister Lara Giddings today flatly refused to consider any more palliative care beds for the north, rejecting a submission by the Friends of the Northern Hospice and Palliative Care Association.
The Friends met with Ms Giddings in Launceston today to discuss their submission calling for an increase in publicly funded palliative care beds in the north from three to seven. The government has had the submission since last year.
Committee member Michael Ferguson said members were astounded when the Health Minister said that more beds for the north would be “unfair”.
“The south currently has 10 publicly funded palliative care beds, the north just three. Yet somehow Lara Giddings reasons that increasing care in the north would be unfair,” said Mr Ferguson. ” Unfair to whom ? ”
” Not only would these extra places be a huge lift to palliative care, they would also free up beds at the Launceston General Hospital. For the Health Minister to just flatly refuse to improve health services is blow to the north and everyone who has worked so hard to improve our health system.”
Mr Ferguson said the Health Minister’s stance was in direct conflict with a report commissioned by Labor in 2004 into the State’s palliative care system.
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” That report showed Tasmania had only 50 per cent of the palliative care beds as recommended by national guidelines, ” Mr Ferguson said.
” Worse, even those few beds that were available were poorly situated. Hobart has 10 publicly funded beds compared with just three in Launceston.
” Five years on, what has Labor done ? Nothing. They’ve had five years to act and instead of showing compassion and concern, they’ve shown absolute indifference.”
Association president Barb Barker has repeatedly tried to meet with Michelle O’Byrne and Jim Cox, but they simply refuse to talk.
” I’ve been lobbying strongly on this issue since my days in Federal Parliament. That’s continued without interruption as a member of the Action Committee of the Friends of the Northern Hospice and Palliative Care Association, and as a Liberal candidate for Bass.
” I’m proud that Will Hodgman and the Liberal team have responded to our lobbying and the Association’s submission.
” Will Hodgman has said that within 30 days of a new Liberal government the number of publicly funded palliative care beds in Launceston will be increased from three to seven.
” Compare that 30-day promise with the five years of inaction and indifference of Labor.
” This issue is all about caring and compassion. Anyone who has had friends or family members in need of palliative care knows how desperately important these places are to the terminally ill and their family.
” Labor is sending a very cold and cruel message.”
