The Hodgman Liberal Government is making genuine reforms to improve our health system where Labor failed. What Rebecca White fails to acknowledge is that the number of elective surgeries carried out this financial year to date has increased eleven per cent or by 1,180 procedures with a focus on the longest waiting and children.
DHHS data also confirms that to the end of February, we have achieved a nearly 60 percent reduction in average excessive wait times for very long waiting non-urgent patients that were a legacy of the former Government, this is a 288 day improvement since June 2014. In fact, our Dashboard shows the elective surgery waiting list at its lowest point over the last twelve months.
Labor has no credibility on health waiting lists, it took a Liberal Government to publish outpatient waiting lists the former Government kept hidden in sheer helplessness and shame.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is investing a record $6 billion into our health system over the forward estimates as part of our One Health Systems reforms, this includes an investment in more doctors and nurses – an extra 244 staff have been employed by the Tasmania Health Service this financial year alone.
We will continue to roll out our extra $76 million investment in elective surgery opposed by Labor, and the opening of two new theatres at the LGH as well as extra capacity at the RHH.
From July the Mersey Community Hospital will become a dedicated elective surgery centre, which will assist even more Tasmanians to get their surgery sooner and help reduce surgery cancellation rates.
There is still a lot of work to be done, however health services in Tasmania are heading in the right direction under the Hodgman Liberal Government.
