Medical professionals at the Royal Hobart Hospital have expressed alarm over the ongoing issue of bed block, which has recently escalated to the point of forcing the cancellation of urgent surgeries, such as open-heart and bypass procedures. The Australian Medical Association's Tasmanian branch spokesman, Michael Lumsden-Steel, highlighted that a lack of ICU capacity in the hospital has led to significant disruptions in scheduled surgeries, leaving patients in distress and healthcare providers grappling with the consequences.
Robbie Moore, the Health and Community Services Union secretary, emphasized the severity of the bed block problem, pointing out that despite lower ambulance attendances, the hospital still faced significant challenges in managing patient flow. The shortage of allied health professionals like physiotherapists, pharmacists, and occupational therapists was identified as a contributing factor to the difficulty in moving patients through the hospital system efficiently, exacerbating the bed block issue and resulting in prolonged delays for patient care.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff acknowledged the complex nature of the challenge posed by bed block and expressed a commitment to working with the federal government to address the issue. He outlined investments in primary health care services and the importance of improving infrastructure and service delivery to enhance healthcare access for Tasmanian patients. Dr. Lumsden-Steel urged immediate collaborative efforts between state and federal governments to find solutions, emphasizing the need for long-term planning by building new hospitals and allocating resources to support the private healthcare sector in relieving pressure on the public system.