Rural Doctors seek to avert more closures of Tasmanian rural health services

The Rural Doctors Association of Tasmania (RDAT) and Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) are calling on Tasmania's Health Minister, Michael Ferguson MP, to meet with rural doctors to discuss the need to strengthen his Department's engagement with the Tasmanian rural health workforce to develop a statewide strategy on retaining and enhancing rural hospital and health services across the state.

The move follows RDAT's continuing concern at the imminent closure of Mersey Community Hospital's maternity unit — and the impact of further service downgrades on the health needs of North West Tasmanian communities.

"After we highlighted our concerns about the closure of the Mersey maternity unit, Minister Ferguson asked the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to brief us on arrangements regarding the closure" the RDAT Executive's North West representative, Dr Peter Arvier, said.

"While we appreciated this briefing, we remain very concerned at the continuing erosion of services at the Mersey Community Hospital and other rural locations, and the impact this will have not only on the recruitment and retention of future doctors but also the health of rural communities across the state.

"Further downgrades in rural hospital and health services in Tasmania will simply result in a continuing reliance on expensive specialist and locum-based care, and the loss of more and more of Tasmania's future rural doctors to the mainland.

"RDAT believes there is a unique opportunity to develop the Mersey Community Hospital as a Centre of Excellence for a 'Rural Generalist' model of medical care to deliver a wide range of essential and sustainable health services in the North West, including obstetrics, anaesthetics, emergency care, general surgery, palliative care and advanced mental healthcare. Under this model of care, a patient’s GP / Family Doctor could also continue to be actively involved in caring for their patient during the hospital admission.

“In partnership with the University of Tasmania, the Mersey would also have a pivotal role in training Tasmanian medical students and junior doctors in the Rural Generalist model of medical care.

"We are determined that rural hospital and health services across Tasmania should be retained and expanded, underpinned by well-trained and highly motivated rural doctors supported by other health professionals to deliver the best access to medical care across the state.

"We hope the Minister and DHHS are as determined as we are on this issue.”

This media release was originally sourced from RDAA.