A Canberra mother, Dr Liz Allen, has received a letter saying her nine-year-old daughter no longer meets the criteria for a specialist appointment at the public paediatric allergy clinic. The daughter had been referred in January 2024 after several anaphylactic reactions. Dr Allen said the decision was made without contacting families and warned children could die from preventable reactions. Canberra Health Services said it is reviewing outpatient services so people with the greatest clinical need can be seen sooner. Opposition health spokesperson Mark Parton will move a motion calling for the original waitlists to be honoured.
Labor and the Greens say Tasmania's health system is in crisis after a second death linked to a delayed ambulance this month. A man in Zeehan who reported chest pain and breathing difficulties died after a crew from Burnie arrived 78 minutes after he called Triple Zero. The local station was unstaffed due to unfilled leave, and nearby paramedics were busy with other cases. Health Department figures show about 11 per cent of paramedic shifts have been unfilled since July last year.
Tasmanian doctors want an independent commission of inquiry into the state's health system, saying problems are connected and need a broad review. The Australian Medical Association's Tasmanian branch made the call after a man died shortly after his family drove him to the Royal Hobart Hospital because no ambulances were available. Health Minister Bridget Archer rejected the proposal, saying it would cost more than $30 million, take years and duplicate an existing Legislative Council inquiry.
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Sixteen patients at Canterbury Hospital in southwest Sydney have had surgeries delayed after more than 3000 emails sat unread in an unmonitored inbox. An urgent review found four patients with urgent conditions and 12 with semi-urgent conditions were not given surgery dates within recommended timeframes. The Sydney Local Health District has apologised and says admission dates have now been allocated. Australian Medical Association NSW president Fred Betros called the situation extremely concerning and criticised funding for the health workforce. NSW opposition health spokesperson Sarah Mitchell described it as a basic failure with potentially serious consequences.
The family of Nicholas Bradford, 51, is demanding answers after he died waiting more than two hours for an ambulance in Brisbane. He called triple-0 from his Annerley home shortly after 10pm on Saturday, reporting chest pain. Paramedics arrived about 12.10am, and police were needed to help them gain access to the home. He was found dead in his bed. The Queensland Ambulance Service says a review is underway, and Health Minister Tim Nicholls says an incident review will be undertaken.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control has launched a new guideline to help health organisations plan for climate change impacts. The package includes tools to assess risks from heatwaves, fires, droughts, storms, floods, and coastal inundation in local health districts. In the Illawarra Shoalhaven region, heatwaves are projected to more than double by 2050 and quadruple by 2085 under a worst-case scenario, increasing heat-related illnesses and straining the health system. The population growth and climate hazards will challenge the region's health services across all six categories.
Federal Member for Robertson and emergency doctor Gordon Reid has marked the launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Emergency Medicine and Care. The launch coincided with the release of a new report.
Health is a major voter concern ahead of New Zealand's general election. The writer argues neither Labour nor National has a credible plan for the system's underlying problems, including chronic underfunding and weak long-term planning. The government has missed several health targets set in 2024, and workforce shortages persist. The piece says voters should ask whether parties offer a credible workforce strategy, address causes rather than symptoms, commit to prevention and show cross-party thinking.
Emergency departments will increasingly struggle to cope with a rising number of elderly patients, according to a new report from the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. Presentations by older people rose 16 per cent from 2019 to 2024, and half of those visits led to hospital admission. Experts say older people are falling through the gaps across the health and aged care systems. Aged care waitlists have left many people without crucial care, with an average of 17 older Australians dying each day last year while waiting for home care support.
A Perth grandmother, Elsie Gribben, waited almost 48 hours in a corridor at St John of God Midland Hospital in March, her daughter says. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine says only 54 per cent of older patients were given an inpatient bed within eight hours in 2023–24, down from 75 per cent in 2018–19. Its report links the pressure to an ageing population and says most hospitals are not equipped to meet rising demand. Federal and state ministers have each blamed the other's government for the problem, which they say relates to aged care placements and hospital capacity.
A national report has warned that Australia's health system is not ready for the growing number of older patients in emergency departments. The State of Emergency report, released by the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, says emergency departments are often left to fill gaps in care. In Tasmania, the number of older patients attending emergency departments rose by 19 per cent between 2018-19 and 2023-24. ACEM Tasmania branch chair Juan Carlos Ascencio-Lane said patients are being left on trolleys and chairs, and staff are under enormous pressure.
