General
Five years after the Tasmanian Government pledged to put patients first, hospital wait times remain a sore point
Donna Emery has experienced the best and worst Tasmania’s public health system has to offer.
Key points:
- The 2016 Tasmanian Government initiative Patients First was supposed to help with access to two of the state’s major hospitals
- Two further initiatives aimed at improving access to the Launceston General Hospital and Royal Hobart Hospital were announced late last year
- Despite these, in the first two weeks of 2021, both hospitals reported more issues with ambulance ramping
Her 14-year-old son Luke has cystic fibrosis, a degenerative condition requiring regular check-ups at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH).
“When he needs an admission, which is generally about once a year, we kind of get straight in,” Ms Emery said.
“We don’t have to go…
