Proposed design for $130m Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department revamp doesn't meet 'current needs', management tells staff
A leaked email sent to staff at the Royal Hobart hospital, reveals the proposed redesign of the emergency department will not fit current and future needs. In the email the ed management team says the redevelopment is on hold due to a cost blow out of 50 million dollars with the design forced to be scaled back. The government is refusing to budge, saying the upgrades will meet future demand.
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00:00An emergency department in urgent need of assistance.
00:06We had a doctor last year reference the Royal Hobart Hospital to being similar to trying
00:11to get patients around similar to a cave in Thailand.
00:14The government's spending $130 million on stage two of the redevelopment.
00:20But a leaked email from management to staff says the redevelopment is on hold due to budgetary
00:26issues.
00:27But the government has directed the Tasmanian Health Service executive to endorse a redesign
00:32of the existing ED footprint within the current budget.
00:36And that management openly acknowledges the design isn't fit for purpose to meet current
00:41needs let alone the future needs of the department.
00:44Ultimately there's one additional resuscitation bay, there's a little extra space in a dedicated
00:49mental health unit, a couple of extra ambulance bays and that is about it.
00:55In terms of the refurbishment, it's not going to bring the emergency department in line
00:59with Australian standards.
01:01Another email reveals the cost blowout is around $50 million, which the government is
01:06refusing to spend.
01:08A Department of Health spokesperson said the ED management's claims were false and the
01:13project was not on hold.
01:15They say the current design plans will provide the facilities needed to meet future demand
01:19for emergency care in southern Tasmania.
01:22This is just another slap in the face to an already exhausted burnout workforce.
01:27The Greens say we shouldn't throw money away.
01:30There's no point investing in the emergency department at the Royal if it's not going
01:34to do what we need for the long term.
01:37Earlier this year a parliamentary committee overseeing the RHH development recommended
01:42a $149 million upgrade to the emergency department.
01:47We have record deficit and debt and we have a government now with the wrong priorities.
01:52They're cutting the health service when they should be investing in it to create efficiencies.
01:56A dire diagnosis on a tight budget.