Tasmania Hospital Policy Blamed for Patient Deaths

0:00Nurses in Tasmania are blaming a state government policy for patient deaths in the emergency department at Launceston General Hospital. The policy requires paramedics to hand over patients to hospital staff within 60 minutes of arrival. Union leaders say this has led to unsafe conditions, like patients waiting in corridors without proper monitoring. The government introduced the rule during last year's election to tackle ambulance ramping, where crews wait hours outside hospitals. Officials insist there's no evidence linking the policy to any deaths and stress that patient safety remains their top priority. Nurses report specific cases over the past month, describing avoidable outcomes due to the lays and poor setups in the waiting areas. Greens help spokesperson calls it a life and death failure, arguing the policy just shifts pressure from ambulances to emergency rooms without. Fixing the bigger health system issues. The health department has strong protocols for triaging urgent cases, first, and plans

1:00to investigate the claims. They're pushing to shorten the handover to 45 minutes, but the nurse's union is fighting that in court and demands the whole policy be scrapped. Tensions run high as both sides dig in. With daily investments of $10 million in health, underscoring the stakes for better emergency care. Across Tasmania, that wraps Sydney news today, brought to you with AI.