Centre to set emergency care guidelines
Louise Hall, Health Reporter, Sun Herald
December 21, 2008
PATIENTS who go to emergency departments anywhere in NSW should be treated with the same level of care and the most up-to-date methods, says Health Minister John Della Bosca, who will launch Australia's first Emergency Care Institute today.
The $700,000 institute will develop standard guidelines for emergency doctors and nurses and encourage them to share information and innovations.
But some senior clinicians who had been charged with advising the Government on how to fix the problems plaguing emergency departments - chronic overcrowding, staff shortages and lack of trainees - believe the institute will be a "white elephant".
Tony Joseph, chairman of the NSW faculty of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, quit the Ministerial Taskforce on Emergency Care in disgust last month. Dr Joseph said the institute would not achieve anything unless the number of emergency specialists in NSW was increased by at least 150.
There were 399 trainee specialists at various stages of the seven-year course in NSW. Yet high levels of burnout, lack of supervision and comparatively low salaries meant only about 20 trainees graduated each year.
About Me
- JENNY'S RED NEWS
- Dear Fellow Bloggers, For some time I have thought about starting a left of centre news and commentary service and I have tried to do this by using email. But as some good, but email overloaded friends have suggested, a better way to go may be by blogging. So here it is! Jenny's Red News. My primary interests are left of centre politics and the very important question of how can we get left of centre parties, groups and grouplets in Australia working together more co-operatively. The right of centre predominates politics in this country at the present time, and they are on the march. We on the left of centre need to work together more co-operatively and constructively to put the left of centre agenda out there, for the perusal and consumption of the Australian people. Particular topics that will be reported on and on which comments are welcome are: Industrial relations - Opposition to Workchoices Refugee and Asylum Seekers Human Rights Civil Liberties Opposition to the Welfare to Work Changes Health System Reform Aboriginal Health and Reconciliation Jenny Haines posted by JENNY'S RED NEWS at 12:50 AM 0 comments