A&E sign common in the UK. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Tasmania's nurses have had enough.They say lives are being put at risk each day as a result of the State Government's budget cuts and are calling for support from the public. In the last four months, Tasmania has lost more than 84 nurses who have moved interstate to escape the cuts. Ten North-West trained graduates also left the state because there were no positions available.
Emergency departments are overflowing because there aren't enough beds on the wards for patients and nurses are working double shifts, some on their feet for 19 hours.
Mrs Robinson said the full effects of the budget cuts were only just being felt.
There are more cuts to come as the government looks to save $500million from the health budget over four years.
"Since the cuts, access has been blocked pretty much on a daily occurrence. Ward B was closed back before Christmas and we knew that we wouldn't see the full effects of that right away because theatre sessions were reduced over Christmas," she said.
Mrs Robinson said for the past month there had been patients kept in the ED for more than 24 hours because there were no beds available on the wards. "Studies have shown, and the information tells us, that it is dangerous for people to be in the ED. Mortality rates are higher." Mrs Robinson said a different type of care was required to look after patients once they were treated in the ED and the staff and expertise for that was on the ward. Incidents of ambulances banking up because the ED is full, increased staff sick leave and overtime claims are all being attributed to the cuts.
The forum will be held at the Devonport Entertainment and Convention Centre, 145-151 Rooke St from 6.30 tonight. Members of the public are invited to attend.
