Cost of locums to Tasmania's health system triples in three years to $182 million, right to information data shows
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Cost of locums to Tasmania's health system triples in three years to $182 million, right to information data shows

ABC  

The cost of Tasmania's reliance on outsourced medical staff to fill gaps has tripled in the past three years, rising to $182 million in the last financial year. In 2020-21, the money the state government spent overall across the health system on locums — temporary replacements for permanent doctors and nurses — was just shy of $57 million. Locums a sign of a sick health system: Labor Tasmanian Labor Health spokesperson Ella Haddad said the state government's spend on outsourced medical staff was "an incredible amount of money". "That's money that could be going into not only employing permanent staff, but also putting money into services and into the health system." Tasmanian government urged to overturn health staff ruling Photo shows A red sign which reads: "Emergency Dept" A health department decision to install a "vacancy control committee" in order to make budget savings will put Tasmanians at risk and lead to "preventable deaths", the union representing allied health staff says.

Health Labor Medical Cost Million Tasmania Three Years Permanent Doctors Locums Locum Staff System Nurses  cost  data  medical  permanent  doctors  triples  million  tasmanias  shows  locums  locum  staff  health  right  system  nurses  information

History of this topic

WA's regional health system 'reliant' on expensive locum doctors
3 months, 1 week ago

WA's regional health system 'reliant' on expensive locum doctors

ABC  

Ongoing workforce challenges impacting WA's health sector means the system is now "reliant" on locums and agency staff, with short-term postings advertised at upwards of $3,000 a day. The WA Country Health Service's 2023-24 annual report states it had a budget blowout of almost $30 million and partially attributes it to "increasing reliance on high-cost agency and locum staff". The …

Tasmanian government urged to overturn 'shameful' vacancy control move in health department
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Tasmanian government urged to overturn 'shameful' vacancy control move in health department

ABC  

A health department decision to install a "vacancy control committee" across the entire department will put Tasmanians at risk and lead to "preventable deaths", the union representing allied health says. He said the vacancy control committee, which would assess whether jobs actually needed to be filled before advertising them, would "assist with budget repair". Health and Community Services Union secretary …

Tasmania 2022 budget reveals growing debt, cost of living concessions and millions for digital health services
2 years, 10 months ago

Tasmania 2022 budget reveals growing debt, cost of living concessions and millions for digital health services

ABC  

For the first time in nine years, there's a new Treasurer holding Tasmania's purse strings. Key points: The deficit next financial year will end up being almost a billion dollars in the red $150m for 'digital health', $538m for housing and homelessness initiatives and $305m in cost of living concessions The state's bottom line relies on public servants' pay rises …

Tasmanian budget 2021 reveals injection of extra $900m into health as state faces rising debt
3 years, 7 months ago

Tasmanian budget 2021 reveals injection of extra $900m into health as state faces rising debt

ABC  

Tasmania's finances will remain in the red for longer than expected as an extra $900 million is injected into the state's struggling health system, the government's eighth state budget reveals. Key points: Peter Gutwein's eighth budget has Tasmania returning to the black in 2023-24 The budget includes $10.7 billion for health over the next four years The COVID-19 pandemic remains …

Regional healthcare worker crisis as COVID border closures trap locum doctors and nurses
3 years, 7 months ago

Regional healthcare worker crisis as COVID border closures trap locum doctors and nurses

ABC  

Thousands of locum doctors and nurses are unable to travel to regional, rural and remote towns due to border closures, creating a workforce shortage crisis, the Rural Doctors Association of Australia has revealed. Key points: There are concerns border closures are exacerbating a health services workforce shortage The RDAA is calling for a national approach for allow doctors and nurses …

Health services for rural Tasmanians tipped to worsen as demand rises and GPs leave
6 years, 6 months ago

Health services for rural Tasmanians tipped to worsen as demand rises and GPs leave

ABC  

Tasmania's rural north-east is struggling with a general practitioner shortage as its population ages and an increasing number of people are diagnosed with a chronic or mental illness. The RFDS has released a "concerning" new report that reveals 15.6 per cent more Australians will be diagnosed with a chronic illness, including cancer, in the next ten years. RFDS chief executive …

Dire prognosis for Tasmanian health system as report details funding shortfalls, staffing crisis
6 years, 6 months ago

Dire prognosis for Tasmanian health system as report details funding shortfalls, staffing crisis

ABC  

Tasmania's health system is underfunded "in excess of $90 million a year" and the situation is only going to get worse, a secret report compiled for the state's health service has found. The report's authors said a systemic analysis of demand "is hampered by the lack of clinical service planning across the DHSS and THS", with the last plan developed …

Tasmanian nurse recruitment drive draws a blank, unions blame pay and conditions for failure
7 years ago

Tasmanian nurse recruitment drive draws a blank, unions blame pay and conditions for failure

ABC  

A taxpayer-funded, three-week trip to the United Kingdom to entice nurses to work in the Tasmanian health system has so far not resulted in a single recruitment. "Migration to Australia takes many months, especially for nurses who need to apply for AHPRA registration and a working visa," the spokesperson said. That would leave Tasmanian nurses about 7.5 per cent worst …

Tasmanian Liberals promise record health spending at election campaign launch
7 years, 1 month ago

Tasmanian Liberals promise record health spending at election campaign launch

ABC  

The Tasmanian Liberal party has pledged to increase funding for the health system by an extra $757 million, employing 1,332 more health professionals over the next six years. He said as a result of getting the budget back into balance the party was able to "further increase the capacity of our hospitals and take health care in Tasmania to the …

Tasmanian budget: $658m injection gives 'biggest ever boost' to ailing health system
7 years, 10 months ago

Tasmanian budget: $658m injection gives 'biggest ever boost' to ailing health system

ABC  

A "biggest ever boost" of $658 million to Tasmania's health sector, to stem the bleeding from widespread condemnation of the system, is the centrepiece of the State Government's budget. The Government said it would boost the previous Labor administration's spending on health by $658 million over four years — "an increase of $1.3 billion compared to the previous Labor/Green budget," …

Tasmania's health system underfunding costing lives, doctors and health unions say
7 years, 11 months ago

Tasmania's health system underfunding costing lives, doctors and health unions say

ABC  

Sick Tasmanians have suffered "avoidable complications" and some have died because of chronic underfunding of the health system, according to the state's peak health groups and unions. The Tasmanian branches of the Australian Medical Association and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, along with the Royal Hobart Hospital Medical Staff Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Health …

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