The Liberal Government is getting on with the job of rebuilding Tasmania's health system to deliver better outcomes for all Tasmanians.
In the past week, a new hybrid theatre that provides for imagery assisted surgery was opened at the Launceston General Hospital, and is already delivering benefits.
The first patient operated on in the new theatre, the only one of its kind in the state and one of only 20 in Australia, was Mrs May Johnstone, who was discharged on Friday after undergoing a procedure last Tuesday.
Mrs Johnstone had an abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired using a keyhole approach under x-ray-control.
The hybrid theatre features specialist equipment on a ceiling-mounted C-arm system that enables x-rays to be accurately taken from various positions, which help enable minimally invasive surgeries.
This is one of five new theatres that the Launceston General Hospital has been progressively opening from last week that are funded by the Tasmanian and Federal governments.
After a fortnight-long commissioning period, four old theatres will be closed for refurbishments, with hopes that two of these will be available for clinical use from as early as late October.
Touring the hospital's new theatre suite today, it was great to see what has been achieved and it was also fitting given the commitment the Liberal Government has made to overhaul the state's health system.
This new theatre highlights what it is all about: improved outcomes for patients.
Through a single, unified Tasmanian Health Service, we will deliver better health services to Tasmanians by reducing the bureaucracy and returning the focus to patients, where it should always have been.