27 September 2013

Is it failing when you move the goalposts?

| johnboy
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The Liberals Jeremy Hanson is fulminating over the ACT Health annual report revelations on hospital waiting times:

After revelations that ACT Labor altered targets to disguise the fall in performance of Canberra Hospital, Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Hanson has renewed his call for the Auditor-General to investigate.

“The 2012-13 annual report into the ACT Health Directorate has revealed Australia’s longest waiting times at the Canberra Hospital Emergency Department have continued to deteriorate while the hospital occupancy rate has skyrocketed,” Mr Hanson said today.

“Across all categories only 51 percent of patients were seen on time in 2012-13. That’s worsened from 55 percent in 2011-12. ACT Labor is holding Canberra back while every other state and territory is managing to get its house in order.

“The hospital is effectively full, running at up to 97 percent and well above the national occupancy target of 85 percent. But ACT Labor has shifted the goalposts to try to downplay the seriousness of the situation by raising its own target to 90 percent.

“This is data doctoring on a new scale and a slap in the face for hardworking doctors and nurses who are trying to cope with the extra pressure.

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