00:00 A grim depiction of the inner workings of Tasmania's biggest hospitals, grappling with
00:08 a shortage of emergency department beds.
00:11 "Launceston, for example, has patients in corridors for greater than 24 hours.
00:16 They've accessed an old cupboard and removed the shelves and have patients in cupboard."
00:21 Evidence at a parliamentary hearing of the tough decisions staff are making inside an
00:26 emergency department bursting at the seams.
00:30 Some worry they'll be sued.
00:31 "A large level of dissatisfaction and fear of medical legal consequence and significant
00:38 risk and that means that we have significant staff attrition."
00:44 And an insight into the pressure paramedics are facing every day.
00:48 "I find a responsibility for myself is to keep up morale and I have to encourage others
00:55 who are at the hospital with patients that things will get better.
01:00 I'll try and get them breaks.
01:01 I'm trying to get them to see the light at the end of the tunnel."
01:04 "The state does have a very serious issue with respect to the emergency department and
01:11 the transfer of care delays.
01:13 We plan to improve that and that's why we're not waiting."
01:17 The Health Minister says the situation is being worsened by a long-standing shortage
01:22 of general practitioners, which is the federal government's domain.
01:27 But a GP training organisation says the state government can make a difference by putting
01:32 aside $4 million to pay off the hex debt of 40 graduating doctors.
01:37 "When people don't get to see their GPs and their health conditions aren't managed, where
01:41 do they go?
01:42 Ultimately they go to the Royal Hobart and the LGH."
01:44 A proposal the state government says it'll consider.
01:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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