Patients at the Royal Hobart Hospital have been asked to consider leaving to help alleviate the overwhelmed hospital EDs.
This ask, in the form of a letter, came a day after the Health Department urged Tasmanians to avoid the state’s two main public hospitals unless facing an emergency due to a “significant demand” in pressures.
The state government denies that the letter given to patients was pressuring them to leave and claims it was intended to improve the discharge process.
“Dear Patient, this is a very busy time at RHH and unfortunately there are many people in the emergency department waiting for an inpatient bed,” the letter said.
“You may have waited a long time yourself before you could be admitted. Now that you are here, we need your help.”
The letter asked patients to expedite their own discharge and suggested actions such as knowing their discharge date and considering moving to other hospitals.
The Greens leader raised concerns that cancer patients had received the discharge letter, while Health Minister Guy Barnett said it was an operational matter.
“In a new low, an oncology patient reported they received a letter from a senior bureaucrat, tucked under their dinner plate, advising all in the ward that they’d need to find alternative care options,” Rosalie Woodruff said.
“It’s clear from the Minister’s response he fails to appreciate the extreme risk to patients from this escalating crisis – or worse, if he does, he appears not to care.”
The stress on hospitals is attributed to high demand and high rates of sick leave due to Covid-19, influenza and other seasonal illnesses.
The Health Department say the demand situation has improved, with pressure starting to ease at the Royal and Launceston General Hospital.
