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Writer's pictureRyan Posselt

Follow the Evidence.

Updated: Mar 12, 2022


Evidence is everything! Holding three healthcare related degrees and having worked as a paramedic for more than a decade, I have learned the importance of the scientific approach. Everyday, we treat sick people with medications and interventions that are based in sound evidence. We never treat someone just because we think it might work, only to find our intervention has had some bizarre side effect or has even made the patient sicker.


Council planning and management should be no different. Every Council program or piece of infrastructure should be evaluated against the evidence. The vast majority of services provided by Hobart City Council are provided around the world, and many different solutions have been tried and tested. We should be looking for the gold standard, based on results found elsewhere, and applying it to Hobart. To continue with the health analogy, if we continue to "treat" our city with solutions that are not based in evidence or at the very least, expert consensus, then we risk bizarre consequences.


Another key tenant of healthcare, is evaluation of treatment while-ever the patient requires care. We don't just keep giving the same antibiotic, even when the patient is not getting better. We are constantly evaluating our treatment: "Is this treatment working?" or "Should I be trying something else?". And we use empirical data to help us with our decision making such as blood tests, imaging, and vital signs, like blood pressure. Again, this should be true of Councils. Every change we make to crucial infrastructure, like roads, traffic lights, parking meters and intersections should be evaluated for its effectiveness and any unwanted side effects identified and mitigated as part of a robust review process.


So, if I am elected to Hobart City Council, I will always seek to have council programs that are based in best practice, evidence and expert advice. I will aim to ensure that Council programs are constantly evaluated to look for ways to improve the way we do things.


Ryan.


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