Eight new beds and treatment recliners will open at the Royal Hobart Hospital next week.
The new beds, which are part of our 106 bed budget-boost, will help ease pressure on the RHH Emergency Department.
This will take to 80 the number of beds opened from our promised 106, with the remaining beds to all be open by the middle of next year when the new 22 bed ward at the Repatriation Hospital comes online.
Since the Budget we have also announced additional beds and treatment recliners will open, which has brought the total to more than 120, 11 of which can be used for mental health.
We understand the pressure the RHH in particular is under, which is why we are acting now to increase bed numbers, while building a new RHH which will provide for an additional 250 beds when completed.
In contrast, our Labor opponents are all complaining, with no solutions – other than to put sick people into hotel rooms.