Repairing our health system.
Tasmania's public health system is being held together by sticky tape. It wasn’t always like this.
It can be better. We need a government that puts people first and gets its priorities right.
Fixing it is a big job, but we have to start somewhere.
Labor has a plan to get the ball rolling on repairing Tasmania's health system.
A Rebecca White Labor Government will make it a priority to ensure our local health system doesn’t continue to fall behind the rest of Australia. We're ready to roll up our sleeves and get started.
Immediate health action plan
A Rebecca White Labor Government will take immediate action to repair our health system from day one.
While there are no silver bullets, Labor will start relieving pressure on the health system by freeing up space in hospitals and emergency departments with our 5-point Immediate Action Plan.
Labor will:
- Make hospitals our highest priority
- Offer permanent jobs to 500 health workers
- Employ 32 new specialist hospital flow staff
- Expand community beds statewide
- Create 3 more community paramedic hubs
All these actions will make more space available at our major hospitals.
After 10 years of a Liberal government there are no overnight fixes, but Labor has a common-sense plan to start repairing our health system.
Expanding services at 18 regional and rural hospitals
Tasmanians should be able to access healthcare in their local community.
Labor will establish a dedicated fund for upgrading regional hospital infrastructure, giving local communities the resources to invest in things like X-Ray, ultrasound or ECG machines, diagnostic equipment, extra beds, new rooms and more.
We'll expand local services to include 24/7 emergency care, rehabilitation and more.
And we will broaden services to prevent unnecessary trips to emergency departments.
Free degrees for local doctors, nurses and health workers
Tasmania needs more nurses, paramedics, doctors and allied health workers. They are the backbone of our public health system.
Labor has a plan to attract and train 470 new health workers by offering free university degrees.
And we'll make sure those extra workers stay right here in Tasmania by requiring a commitment to work in a local hospital for at least 3 years.
A new southern hospital
A Rebecca White Labor Government build a new public hospital, as a dedicated public surgery and specialist centre in Hobart to help ease Tasmania’s health crisis.
The hospital will allow thousands of public patients to receive elective surgery sooner in the public system.
Labor’s plan will include:
- Building a new hospital in New Town by 2027
- Reducing surgery waitlists by 13,000 a year
- Up to 8 new operating theatres and 24 beds
- Committing $160m to the land and build
- Employing more than 100 staff at a cost of approximately $20m/pa once operational
Free health checks
A Rebecca White Labor Government will increase services available at 23 Community Health Centres around the state.
Labor’s plan will:
- Employ 46 extra nurses
- Provide free health checks for adults, teens and kids
- Provide palliative care, community nursing and home visits for patients
Every week, a plane load of young people leaves our state. We must offer better incentives for them to stay and work in Tasmania.
Upgrading 6 local ambulance stations to operate 24/7
Where you live shouldn’t determine whether you live or die in an emergency.
Labor will upgrade ambulance stations in six regional centres, to operate 24/7 with staffing by permanent paramedics.
Upgraded stations will be Smithton, Queenstown, Nubeena, Bridport, Swansea and Oatlands.
Improving our ambulance service
Labor will commit to implementing the ambulance expert review in full by 2032 to support our paramedics and improve response times.
Labor’s plan will:
- Employ 168 new paramedic staff
- Provide a $45m infrastructure fund for upgrading stations and vehicles.
- Increase community paramedics to 8 new locations
- Create of a Chief Paramedic position to sit with other clinical leadership roles.
Supporting GPs
A Rebecca White Labor Government will work with our doctors in general practice for a better future.
We need to invest in primary care to keep Tasmanians healthy and out of hospital.
As part of our plan to support general practice, Labor will:
- Attract 40 new GPs to practice in regional Tasmania.
- Upskill 50 GPs with Emergency Care Training
- Protect Tasmanians from $15-20 increases by ruling out a GP payroll tax
- Allow families to access ADHD support and medication through GPs
- Create a GP Workforce Plan for Tasmania
- Employ 18 rural generalist doctors in our regional hospitals
- Provide rural generalist training at the Mersey Community Hospital
Stopping the GP tax
Labor will take urgent action on the cost of living by stopping patients paying more for GPs through committing to no GP payroll tax under a Labor Government.
Under the Liberals, Tasmania has been one of the only states that have failed to assure GPs they will not be subject to this tax. That’s why the RACGP and the AMA have supported Labor’s plan.
Labor’s commitment to no GP tax will:
- Ensure GPs do not have to pass on a $15-20 increase for consultations.
- Prevent more general practice closures.
- Prevent a further decline in bulk billing in Tasmania.
- Mean less pressure on emergency departments.
Labor’s plan to improve healthcare in Tasmania starts with supporting our doctors.
Improving mental health and wellbeing
A Rebecca White Labor Government will prioritise mental health services, filling the gaps after 10 years of Liberal neglect.
Labor has worked constructively with the mental health and health sectors and has a plan to provide a more long-term and regionalised model of care to support our community’s mental health.
As part of our Plan for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Labor will:
- Employ more nurses, social workers and psychologists in our schools.
- Expand the Mental Health Emergency Response Service statewide.
- Restore psychiatric emergency nurse positions within our hospital emergency departments.
- Provide free mental health checks for teenagers.
- Support a Perinatal Mental Health Centre in Hobart and establish dedicated programs for families dealing with perinatal exhaustion, feeding and settling issues, and postnatal depression or anxiety.
- Work to provide more Adolescent Mental Health beds in the north.
Prioritise statewide access to walk-in mental health centres.
Statewide mother and baby care
A Rebecca White Labor Government will provide $5m/pa for dedicated mother baby support services across the state.
Currently Tasmania is the only state without mother baby beds.
Labor’s plan will:
- Provide 10 Mother Baby beds around the state – in the North West, North and South
- Establish community day programs and residential services for families
- Support a Perinatal Mental Health Centre for public patients in Hobart
- Continue a review of Maternity Services statewide.
Labor has a plan for Tasmania.