1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,000
Speaker 1: Joining me on the line right now is the AMAS

2
00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:05,360
Speaker 1: doctor Robert Parker. Good morning to.

3
00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:07,400
Speaker 2: You, Robert, morning Katie.

4
00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,760
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning, doctor Parker.

5
00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,520
Speaker 1: With these vaccination rates, do you have concerns about the

6
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,040
Speaker 1: rates at the moment and what is seen as being

7
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,880
Speaker 1: a lack of transparency for some areas of the territory.

8
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,800
Speaker 2: Well, obviously there is a significant concern. I understand there

9
00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,720
Speaker 2: are parts of the territory where there has been significant

10
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,560
Speaker 2: resistance to vaccination. I understand there's certain groups who are

11
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,639
Speaker 2: nameless who are trying to inform the process and try

12
00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,040
Speaker 2: and get people not to have vaccinations, which I think

13
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,840
Speaker 2: is a real concern. I mean, it gets back again

14
00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,879
Speaker 2: to sources of information and public trust in information. I

15
00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,280
Speaker 2: think part of the whole is share has been also

16
00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,159
Speaker 2: the real hiccup in the vaccination strategy from the government

17
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,480
Speaker 2: and the current game playing between the FEN and the states,

18
00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,319
Speaker 2: you know, as part of national cabinet process, and then

19
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,960
Speaker 2: the change or target you which is the National Vaccination

20
00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,120
Speaker 2: group constantly changing the goalposts. But who can receive what

21
00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,959
Speaker 2: and so in that confusion which I think I think

22
00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,040
Speaker 2: certainly the general public will deserve a much better inform

23
00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,440
Speaker 2: process and they're getting Currently it's very easy then for

24
00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,720
Speaker 2: certain individuals or groups to misinform and to try and

25
00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,560
Speaker 2: influence vulnerable individuals, which is a real concern.

26
00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:24,880
Speaker 1: So do you think that we're going to have issues

27
00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:26,560
Speaker 1: trying to get to that eighty percent?

28
00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:29,760
Speaker 2: Well, again, I think it's the way you market it.

29
00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:31,920
Speaker 2: I mean, I understand there's already been quite a bit

30
00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,600
Speaker 2: of money it's been on promotion in the territory, but

31
00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,400
Speaker 2: I've got a different you know, I think there's different

32
00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,000
Speaker 2: ways you can promote stuff, and I think, particularly with

33
00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,240
Speaker 2: our indigenous populations, I've been saying maybe we should be

34
00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,720
Speaker 2: using musicians to develop some catchy tunes very pro vaccination

35
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,240
Speaker 2: and maybe combining them with footballers, you know, to say, hey,

36
00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,360
Speaker 2: your mob get vaccinated, and throw it all together on

37
00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,680
Speaker 2: social media. And I think that's probably going to be

38
00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,120
Speaker 2: more effective than worthy individuals showing us there are and

39
00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,560
Speaker 2: saying get vaccinated, because it become like a bit of

40
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,200
Speaker 2: a cultural thing that I'm aware how popular those issues

41
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,440
Speaker 2: are in social media. So maybe it just needs to

42
00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,440
Speaker 2: redesign of the way you're trying to get people vaccinated.

43
00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,040
Speaker 1: Rob do you think as well? I guess the next

44
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,760
Speaker 1: step is going to be sort of ensuring that the

45
00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,720
Speaker 1: Northern Territory and our hospitals are prepared when we do

46
00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,359
Speaker 1: get to that point when we're at eighty percent, and

47
00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,720
Speaker 1: you know, the likelihood of us having community will COVID

48
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,200
Speaker 1: in the community when we do get to that eighty

49
00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,960
Speaker 1: percent vaccination rate, I would imagine is going to be

50
00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,680
Speaker 1: quite high. Are we prepared here in the territory?

51
00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:35,919
Speaker 2: Well, again, I think our main problem at the moment

52
00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,360
Speaker 2: is the indigenous population, which is what you know I

53
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,800
Speaker 2: was trying to get out last Thursday with my interview.

54
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:46,480
Speaker 2: You know, there's a lot of co morbid illness, half

55
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,119
Speaker 2: of these respiration to these diabetes and what are indigen's population,

56
00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,560
Speaker 2: which makes them much more vulnerable to the side effects

57
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,480
Speaker 2: or the main effects of COVID to even if you

58
00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,519
Speaker 2: know people are vaccinated, you know COVID at the moment,

59
00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,200
Speaker 2: it doesn't stop you passing it on, but it does

60
00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,480
Speaker 2: stop you getting ready sick. So it's and maybe it

61
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:10,360
Speaker 2: does reduce the transmission rate as well. But the problem

62
00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,720
Speaker 2: is showing you said, well, the hospital beds are getting

63
00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,160
Speaker 2: filled up with people who are ready sick, so you know,

64
00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,600
Speaker 2: and people on ventilated so the actual Apart from the

65
00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,680
Speaker 2: actual community transmission and the number of people who are

66
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,480
Speaker 2: dying from that in the community, there is also a

67
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,280
Speaker 2: very large increased burden on hospital beds. Now, the problem

68
00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:36,080
Speaker 2: for the territory is that you know, with our Abiginal

69
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,920
Speaker 2: population who have already quite sick and they do get

70
00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,720
Speaker 2: potentially COVID, even if they're vaccinated, it could potentially make

71
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,680
Speaker 2: them sicker, which means they've got to go to hospital,

72
00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,280
Speaker 2: putting increased pressure on our hospital beds. I mean, it's

73
00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:50,840
Speaker 2: far better to have the vaccine than not have The

74
00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,920
Speaker 2: vaccine will probably save your lives, but people still can

75
00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,200
Speaker 2: get sick from it. And that still puts with our

76
00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,440
Speaker 2: indigenous population with their very high rates already I mean

77
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,760
Speaker 2: of of hospital admission, it's going to put increased pressure

78
00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:03,720
Speaker 2: on the hospital health system.

79
00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,640
Speaker 1: Well. And are we going to be able to cope

80
00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,360
Speaker 1: with any kind of surge. I know that in recent times,

81
00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,480
Speaker 1: in the last few months or the last month or two,

82
00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,160
Speaker 1: we have had a couple of code yellows. Are we

83
00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,080
Speaker 1: in a situation where we'll be able to cope with

84
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:17,040
Speaker 1: that surge?

85
00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,039
Speaker 2: Well? The health Department is constantly in discussion about adaptive

86
00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,919
Speaker 2: ways of doing it, and I'm sure you know, the

87
00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,200
Speaker 2: hope the Health Department will cope. There's various strategies in place,

88
00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,640
Speaker 2: and you probably need to talk to the Ministry about this,

89
00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,599
Speaker 2: about the plans and about other issues for this potential

90
00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,479
Speaker 2: search capacity. But yeah, I mean there are there are

91
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,360
Speaker 2: plans for foot in case this sort of stuff happens.

92
00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,400
Speaker 2: But the problem is that the you know, as we're

93
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:47,800
Speaker 2: seeing from the Wild Victoria, the current issues in those

94
00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,160
Speaker 2: states are putting a lot of pressure on health systems.

95
00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,599
Speaker 2: They're coping, but there's increased pressure on them.

96
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,280
Speaker 1: And doctor Parker, how are things going at both well,

97
00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,760
Speaker 1: the Royal Darwin Hospital and also out at the Palmerston

98
00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,680
Speaker 1: Regional Hospital at the mint As I mentioned, we know

99
00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,680
Speaker 1: that there'd been a couple of code yellows in recent times,

100
00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,719
Speaker 1: firstly at Royal Darwin Hospital and then not so long back,

101
00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,120
Speaker 1: we're in a situation where the Palmerston Regional Hospital, the

102
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,960
Speaker 1: renal ward was off offline for a few weeks. How

103
00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:17,359
Speaker 1: are things tracking right now?

104
00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,640
Speaker 2: Well? Understanding is again that the there's a constant pressure

105
00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,919
Speaker 2: on the hospital. As I constantly said, you know, the

106
00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:27,799
Speaker 2: Minister and a couple of years ago the timer terarity.

107
00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,440
Speaker 2: Hospitals are the busiest in Australia and they've got you know,

108
00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,160
Speaker 2: some of the sickest populations in Australia and the territory.

109
00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:36,599
Speaker 2: And we can always do with more funding, you know.

110
00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,159
Speaker 2: But the yes, so there is constant pressure on the

111
00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,599
Speaker 2: hospital and the hospital and again have Dale. I'm part

112
00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,760
Speaker 2: of daily reviews where they're looking at bed state and

113
00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,000
Speaker 2: looking at ways of managing bed state better so that

114
00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,240
Speaker 2: people who need to need the beds can get them

115
00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:52,400
Speaker 2: and what I.

116
00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,520
Speaker 1: Mean, what areas are sort of undermost strain at the moment.

117
00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 1: I know that I'd had a couple of nurses raise

118
00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,760
Speaker 1: concerns with me that the issue is well more at

119
00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,440
Speaker 1: Royal daal In Hospital is about what they'd called access blocks,

120
00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,760
Speaker 1: so about some of those emergency department patients not being

121
00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,400
Speaker 1: able to get into a hospital bed or that being

122
00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,159
Speaker 1: delayed I suppose because the hospital is quite busy.

123
00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. You know, people unfortunately do get backed

124
00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,479
Speaker 2: up in ET if there are no beds on the

125
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,320
Speaker 2: med search wards for them. And that's why these meetings

126
00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,400
Speaker 2: are constantly being held to look that way we patients

127
00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,919
Speaker 2: can be reviewed plans potential step down facilities for people

128
00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,520
Speaker 2: so they can be treated but not necessarily in the

129
00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,520
Speaker 2: hospital bed. There are constantly sort of discussions about that

130
00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,160
Speaker 2: happening to try and free out those beds so patients

131
00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,480
Speaker 2: came to move from the EED too, where they can

132
00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:42,839
Speaker 2: be more appropriately treated.

133
00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,640
Speaker 1: And is that something that any hospital would be really

134
00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,160
Speaker 1: doing any one day anyway or is it or is

135
00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,480
Speaker 1: it sort of is it busier at Royal daal In hospital?

136
00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,599
Speaker 2: I understanding well, I mean the stats are the territory

137
00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,840
Speaker 2: hospitals are some of the busiest in Australia. But my

138
00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,760
Speaker 2: understanding from fellow AMA presidents is that it's a very

139
00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,440
Speaker 2: difficult situation in most hospitals around Australia, and the AMA

140
00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,800
Speaker 2: nationally is trying to put health as a significant concern

141
00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,240
Speaker 2: before the politicians so that they understand. I mean, the

142
00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,280
Speaker 2: problem is that there's always been this potential standoff with

143
00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,520
Speaker 2: hospitals where the FEDS consider it a state responsibility and

144
00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,640
Speaker 2: you know, and therefore really refuse to get into the

145
00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,640
Speaker 2: funding issue with hospitals because it's up to the states

146
00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,000
Speaker 2: to run their hospitals. I mean, that's why I wrote

147
00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,800
Speaker 2: to the Hunting Treasurer of Fredenberg last year with the

148
00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:36,800
Speaker 2: health funding agreements to argue the territory needs more money

149
00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,760
Speaker 2: with the agreement. Unfortunately, is the five year agreement is

150
00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,200
Speaker 2: signed off as it was last year, everyone takes a

151
00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,720
Speaker 2: deep breath and thinks about other stuff, but you know,

152
00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,600
Speaker 2: signed off, we move on. But the AMA is arguing

153
00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,480
Speaker 2: obviously that we didn't. We need more money and we

154
00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,040
Speaker 2: need to constantly, you know, make the federal government aware

155
00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,400
Speaker 2: that the health system, particularly the public health system, needs

156
00:07:58,400 --> 00:07:58,920
Speaker 2: more money.

157
00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,960
Speaker 1: Well, doctor Rob Parker from the Australian Medical Association here

158
00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,720
Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory, we always appreciate your time. Thank

159
00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,320
Speaker 1: you for having a chat with us this morning. Thank

160
00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:09,440
Speaker 1: you