Tasmanian strategy to combat flu season 'best ever', Health Minister says
Updated
Tasmania will be the most prepared it ever has been for the impending flu season, the state's Health Minister says.
The plan to deal with flu and other winter illnesses unveiled by Michael Ferguson includes using casual staff and maximising hospital bed capacity.
Last year's busy flu season put pressure on the state's hospitals, causing bed block and ambulance ramping.
It also contributed to the deaths of several people in aged care homes.
Health authorities are recommending Tasmanians over the age of 65 go to their doctor for their vaccine, regardless of whether they live at home or in an aged care facility.
"We're asking them to get their flu shot only from their GP, it has a more powerful vaccine that is needed for people over the age of 65," the minister said.
"Influenza is an avoidable, preventable disease and it's particularly nasty for older people."
Mr Ferguson said Hobart's Repatriation Hospital will have an additional 22 beds once construction works are complete at the end of June, as promised in last year's budget.
The $7 million project has seen office space gutted and turned into wards, with the first patients expected to be taken in from July.
"This is an integral part of the flu strategy," Mr Ferguson said.
"We're still asking Tasmanians to do their part, which is get their flu shot in the next month.
"This is the best prepared that Tasmania will ever have been before a known winter flu season."
The new ward will offer sub-acute services, for less severe illnesses and people in recovery.
The Government's plan unveiled today is a multi-agency approach tackling winter illness and the flu season.
Among the strategies are:
- Getting as many Tasmanians vaccinated as possible
- Promoting vaccinations as the best way to protect against flu
- Offering free vaccines to people most at risk
- New state-funded free vaccination for children under 5
- Free vaccination for health staff and frontline workers
- Working with aged care sector to ensure clients and staff are vaccinated
Other parts of the plan involve maximising bed capacity, overflow beds within hospitals, rostering staff to meed demand surges and better coordination between hospitals and Ambulance Tasmania.
"We will be increasing our availability of casual staff so they can be rapidly brought in to care for patients at a period of peak demand," he said.
"This Government has opened up every possible area of our hospitals to allow for extra beds."
Topics: influenza, states-and-territories, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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