The Royal Hobart Hospital’s emergency department has received a significant boost with the addition of 44 new doctors and 25 new nurses.
Health Minister Guy Barnett says the recruitment drive is part of a $88 million investment in the hospital that will ultimately improve patient care.
“We know there are pressures on our emergency department. We know there are pressures in the health system,” he said.
“This is happening all around Australia, but right here in Tasmania, we’re employing more frontline workers, we’re employing more in the health system. This time next year, there will be more.”
Emergency department director Paul Scott said the new staff will be supported by other team members, including clerical staff, allied health professionals, pharmacists, security guards, orderlies, aides and environmental services workers.
“We have some extra staff still coming in the next few months …. not just doctors and nurses, there are other members of the team … that makes the place work,” he said.
“We’re essentially fully recruited. We have some international people arriving in the next few months.”
Scott noted that the investment has helped fill staffing gaps following Covid, enabling them to deliver care in a “more timely manner”.
“It’s also helping us get ambulances back on the road more quickly where they need to be to pick up patients,” he said.
New recruit Gabrielle Wilkie says she was drawn to the hospital from far north Queensland and chose Tasmania after receiving offers from three other states.
“I was pretty excited to move to the beautiful Hobart and because there’s the new award that’s come through the state, it’s a pretty attractive opportunity to work in the department,” she said.
“I’ve heard really, really good things for trainees here, especially the wellbeing initiatives. It’s a tertiary centre where you can get excellent experience as a junior doctor, so it’s a good place to work.”
Arun Francis, a registered nurse who last worked in Ireland, said he was attracted to the hospital’s emergency department for personal development potential.
“I was working in Republic of Ireland and I saw an advertisement. There are multiple places in Australia … and then I saw that they have an opportunity here in the emergency department and then it is undergoing a redevelopment,” he said.
“So there is a huge potential for development for myself too. So that’s why I decided to come here.”
