A solution in disguise

In most states, if the main hospital in their capital city cancelled life-saving surgeries because there were not enough beds available that day, people would probably be pretty shocked, but in Tassie it's just another day with our health system in crisis. A few weeks ago, the Royal Hobart Hospital cancelled elective surgeries, including open-heart surgery, because they hadn't enough beds for patients to stay in. It's a classic case of bed block.

Medical professionals and the state government say a big part of the problem is people in palliative beds taking up space with nowhere to go. So here's a thought bubble. I've been travelling around Tassie a lot lately and noticed the number of community hospitals in rural and areas. They're small hospitals, usually with five to 10 beds available. They're located in places like Queenstown and Beaconsfield—areas that are a long drive away from the closest major hospital. These community hospitals are in a kind of limbo. They're drip-fed enough money to keep the doors open and the lights on but not enough money to properly staff and resource the hospital, so let's use them to their full potential. If there's nowhere for people to go when they leave hospital, let's create a place for them to go.

Community hospitals could be used for palliative care. It will allow people from rural areas to spend their final months in their own community and not in a hospital two hours drive away from their family and friends. I've had family members in this situation, and I know what a difference this could make. People shouldn't have to worry about financial pressures, like fuel and accommodation, when they're concerned about a loved one. We need to work smarter, not harder. This is a way to use an existing resource better and continue to relieve pressure on our hospitals at the same time.