The union representing Tasmania’s nurses and midwives has joined calls for a commission of inquiry into the state’s health system, despite the government rejecting one.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd announced the position in Hobart today.
She said the union had not made the decision lightly, but its council had determined an inquiry would “uncover the truth, the challenges and solutions to a health system that has been in perpetual crisis for years”.
Shepherd said the government’s $30 million cost estimate equalled about three days of health spending, based on its own figure of $10 million a day.
“A commission of inquiry would likely uncover how to make the system more efficient, more effective and better support health care staff and importantly, patients,” she said.
She said recommendations from past inquiries had not been implemented.
ANMF member and clinical nurse consultant Monica Werner said patients were waiting years for diagnostics, surgery and specialist appointments.
She said some cancer patients were too scared to go to an emergency department when unwell and stayed home instead.
“They become at times critically unwell and I’ve seen patients die as a result of that,” she said.
Independent MP Craig Garland also backed an inquiry today.
“The health department is sick and a commission of inquiry is the appropriate medicine,” he said.
AMA Tasmania first proposed an inquiry last month. It wants one that takes no more than two years and covers services the state funds and controls, rather than federally funded general practice and aged care.
Labor and the Health and Community Services Union have since backed the call.
Labor MP Sarah Lovell has disputed the government’s cost estimate, saying a health inquiry could have a narrower scope than the commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said in a statement that patients waiting in hospital for aged care placements were the biggest issue and the federal government needed to act.
“We don’t need to spend $30 million on a COI to tell us what the solution is, we need immediate action to increase aged care beds from the Federal Government,” she said.
Archer has previously told parliament an inquiry would duplicate past reviews and an ongoing Legislative Council inquiry.
