I am unable to attend an ANMF event in Launceston this afternoon due to pre-existing commitments.
I wish to assure nurses that as Health Minister I take their concerns very seriously and have offered to bring forward my regular meeting with the ANMF to next week.
The Government is aware of increased demand and is taking action to resolve pressures at the Launceston General Hospital.
We have increased nursing staff levels on Ward 4D, which is exactly what the ANMF asked us to do and has now enabled the staffing of 24 permanent beds on the ward.
We are also recruiting assistants in nursing to provide more support and ease the pressure on current workload.
Further, the Tasmanian Health Service is rolling out the $1.5 million ED support package right now, which includes additional nurses, extended pathology, more bed cleaning capacity and initiatives to improve patient flow at the LGH and RHH.
Other recent measures to ease pressure on the LGH include the implementation of a Transit Lounge to assist with managing patients awaiting discharge. This is now in place and patient flow improvements are already being seen as a result, which is making beds available quicker.
It is a fact that the Government has opened all wards closed by Labor and we have employed more staff, with 180 FTE more nurses in the North than in March 2014.
I regularly visit the LGH and speak with staff, and visited again last week.
We are all working hard together for the benefit of our community. We will continue to engage constructively with the ANMF and will always listen and consider ways to provide more support our patients and hardworking staff – just as our record shows.