Tasmania Celebrates Strong Year in Health System Reform

Building a better health system is the cornerstone of the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.

Minister for Health, Jacquie Petrusma, said this year, we’ve recruited more nurses, doctors, midwives, paramedics, and allied health professionals than ever before.

“Our healthcare recruitment blitz has welcomed more than 1,500 healthcare workers since April, including 44 additional full-time doctors and 25 additional full-time nurses at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) Emergency Department, and we are now recruiting an additional 78 full-time paramedics,” Minister Petrusma said.

“Our paramedics do an amazing job, and through our new transfer of care protocol, we’ve saved them from spending 9,300 hours on hospital ramps so they can spend more time helping Tasmanians out in the community.

“To cater for our increasing paramedic workforce, we have opened the Burnie Ambulance Super Station, with the new Glenorchy Ambulance Super Station nearly complete, and work is underway to build a number of new ambulance stations across the State.

“We’ve delivered a record number of elective surgeries – 22,196 in the 2023-24 financial year, made possible by our record investment of $196.4 million through the Statewide Elective Surgery Four Year Plan.

“To encourage more nurses and midwives to move to Tasmania, we’re delivering a package of incentives, including relocation allowances and scholarships.

“And to ensure that when Tasmanians need a GP, they can see a GP, we’ve appointed the first 5 of 10 State-employed GPs for our new Rapid Response Team and launched our $4 million GP incentive package for 40 new GPs.”

Minister Petrusma said major upgrades are progressing well at each of our major hospitals.

“We’re continuing work on building a modern RHH, delivering the first stage of the North-West Hospitals Masterplan, and expanding the size of the Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department,” Minister Petrusma said.

“To ensure patients can be transported safely and efficiently to and from the LGH, we delivered a brand new, state-of-the art helipad.

“Our Government also successfully secured funding for a new lifesaving Northern Heart Centre, with planning now underway.

“And we’re investing in contemporary medical equipment, as part of our $40 million medical equipment fund.”

In 2025, our Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future will continue to take action on the issues affecting Tasmanians, like health.