'Health is a big issue': What's on Tasmanians' minds as they head to the poll this Saturday
I'm a nurse and I currently work in the hospital and I have first-hand experience of how dire the situation is. We've got chronic underfunding, chronic under-resourcing, chronic underpayment of staff. We're not being paid enough so we're unable to attract staff. So we can't staff wards appropriately, we can't staff units. That includes nurses, doctors, allied health, pharmacists, like admin as well. Across the board we've been perpetually underfunded for the last ten years.
Leon Compton
One issue you'll be thinking about this state election on Saturday?
Anne
Well I think I've already given you a hint, I'm definitely going to be thinking a lot about health.
Leon Compton
And about health policy and about the future of investment in healthcare systems?
Anne
Oh definitely, because we have not enough staff, hospital staff. The Royal is definitely very, very understaffed and under-resourced and because I spend a lot of time at the Royal Hospital, because I'm a transplant patient, I really think a lot about health. I mean there was an article in the paper a while ago that said that people were being put in a cupboard at the Royal and I thought, yes I've been in that cupboard. So they're actually using resources that are not appropriate for what they're designed for.
Leon Compton
You've literally been put into cupboard space in order to receive treatment, Anne?
Anne
It was a very fancy cupboard, it was an under the stairs cupboard, but it definitely had a sense of light and every time you saw it you had to wave at it.
Leon Compton
Wow.
Kelly
Yeah, health is a big issue. We are an older population, we are sicker, we've got a bigger health load. I worked in health for nearly 40 years, I'm retired. And this government, this has consistently scunned out the health system. It's always about cutting, never about improving.
Tegan
I don't really like Liberals or Labor at the moment, I'm going for the Greens.
Leon Compton
Right, is that a new thing for you Tegan or have you been there before?
Tegan
No, it's been a while coming. The Liberal Party and the Labor Party just don't have what I need for what's going on with my family going forward. They don't have any policies regarding transgender health. And if they do, they're weak, so the Greens it is.
Romeo
Well I suppose those who are really interested in the welfare of the people are the ones I go for.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
Spike in adverse event reports for ADHD medication Vyvanse
Authorities are investigating a spike in incidents involving one of Australia's most widely used ADHD medications. Adverse event reports linked to medication Vyvanse have spiked massively this year, and the manufacturer says no changes in the chemical production have been made. 'The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently investigating a potential safety signal associated with Vyvanse, including independent testing of the medicine through the TGA Laboratories,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. 'The investigation is the result of a recent increase in adverse event notifications relating to concerns about the quality, safety, and reduced effectiveness of the drug.' The TGA issued an alert about a typo on the Vyvanse label earlier this year. Picture: TGA 'There are no compliance signals currently under investigation for the facilities used in the manufacture of this product.' A 'signal' is detection of a pattern which requires further investigation. While not formally a pattern in the TGA's eyes, reports of adverse events such as anxiety, ineffectiveness and insomnia have increased massively this year. There have also been 88 reports of issues with the medicines label, which was flagged by the TGA earlier this year for minor typos; however, one of the typos added an extra 'S' to the word capsule; 'Each capsules contains 60mg lisdexamfetamine dimesilate'. The TGA maintains the Database of Adverse Event Notifications, where people report issues with medications. There have been 320 adverse events linked to Vyvanse in the first half of this year, compared to nine reports in the second half of 2024. Inclusion in the database does not confirm the incident is caused by the medication. Reports of ineffective Vyvanse have hit 150 so far this year, along with 88 reports of anxiety, and 73 reports that the therapeutic response has decreased. Last year, 1.8m Vyvanse prescriptions were written in Australia, excluding Department of Veterans' Affairs patients, over-the-counter drugs, private prescriptions and public inpatient prescriptions. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman Prescriptions of Vyvanse have been steadily increasing for the past few years. More than 958,000 scripts were written by public system health workers in 2022, rising to 1.4 million in 2023, and then 1.8m last year, government data shows. In a statement, supplier Takeda Pharmaceuticals Australia said a change of manufacturing facility in 2024 did not alter the chemical composition of the medicine. 'There have been no changes to the formulation,' a Takeda spokesperson told the ABC. Vyvanse was produced with strict quality controls, in line with Australia's Therapeutics Goods Act, the spokesperson said. The labelling typo did not affect the quality of the medication, they said. Blair Jackson Reporter Blair's journalism career has taken him from Perth, to New Zealand, Queensland and now Melbourne. Blair Jackson
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Spike in ADHD medication adverse event reports
Authorities are investigating a spike in incidents involving one of Australia's most widely used ADHD medications. Adverse event reports linked to medication Vyvanse have spiked massively this year, and the manufacturer says no changes in the chemical production have been made. 'The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently investigating a potential safety signal associated with Vyvanse, including independent testing of the medicine through the TGA Laboratories,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. 'The investigation is the result of a recent increase in adverse event notifications relating to concerns about the quality, safety, and reduced effectiveness of the drug.' 'There are no compliance signals currently under investigation for the facilities used in the manufacture of this product.' A 'signal' is detection of a pattern which requires further investigation. While not formally a pattern in the TGA's eyes, reports of adverse events such as anxiety, ineffectiveness and insomnia have increased massively this year. There have also been 88 reports of issues with the medicines label, which was flagged by the TGA earlier this year for minor typos; however, one of the typos added an extra 'S' to the word capsule; 'Each capsules contains 60mg lisdexamfetamine dimesilate'. The TGA maintains the Database of Adverse Event Notifications, where people report issues with medications. There have been 320 adverse events linked to Vyvanse in the first half of this year, compared to nine reports in the second half of 2024. Inclusion in the database does not confirm the incident is caused by the medication. Reports of ineffective Vyvanse have hit 150 so far this year, along with 88 reports of anxiety, and 73 reports that the therapeutic response has decreased. Prescriptions of Vyvanse have been steadily increasing for the past few years. More than 958,000 scripts were written by public system health workers in 2022, rising to 1.4 million in 2023, and then 1.8m last year, government data shows. In a statement, supplier Takeda Pharmaceuticals Australia said a change of manufacturing facility in 2024 did not alter the chemical composition of the medicine. 'There have been no changes to the formulation,' a Takeda spokesperson told the ABC. Vyvanse was produced with strict quality controls, in line with Australia's Therapeutics Goods Act, the spokesperson said. The labelling typo did not affect the quality of the medication, they said.
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Measles alert issued across NT airports, tourism hotspots
Northern Territory health authorities have issued a measles alert after a man travelled through multiple tourism hotspots before ending up in hospital in north Queensland. NT Health issued the alert on Saturday morning, warning anyone who was on tourism trips in the state, at restaurant in Kakadu National Park, or travelled through Darwin or Alice Springs Airports on specific dates in July to be alert for measles symptoms. These include a fever, sore eyes, a runny nose, a cough, and a blotchy red rash. 'Check your vaccination status,' an NT Health spokesperson said. 'Measles is highly contagious but preventable with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine.' Health authorities suspect the man who travelled while infectious acquired measles in Indonesia. 'The NT Centre for Disease Control is urging Territorians to be alert following confirmation of a measles case who travelled through Darwin and Alice Springs while infectious,' the alert reads. 'The individual, likely infected overseas, visited multiple public locations in the NT between July 17 and 23.' NT Health says the man was likely infectious when he went on an all-day tour with Ethical Adventures in Litchfield National Park on July 17. The next day, he left for an overnight tour with AAPT Kings Jabiru, and was at the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru from 6pm to 8pm on July 18. The measles alert does not account for his movements the next two days, but the next listed location is the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, from 1pm to 3pm on July 20. It is believed the man then went to Darwin Airport at 3.30pm and flew to Alice Springs on Qantas flight QF1960, arriving at 7pm. On Wednesday, July 23, the man flew from Alice Springs to Cairns on Air North flight TL361. 'Anyone who attended these locations during these times should monitor for symptoms … Symptoms can take up to 18 days after exposure to develop,' the alert said. 'The vaccine is safe and effective, and available from your GP, local health centre, Aboriginal health clinic, and vaccinating pharmacies.'
