The Health Expenditure report published today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has confirmed that recurrent expenditure on health in Tasmania is above the national average for the first time since records began in 1998.
While this is from all funding sources it clearly reflects the high priority that the Hodgman Liberal Government has placed on health.
When we came to Government we made a commitment to restore services and ensure that more people got the care they needed sooner. That’s why we have employed more than 250 extra nurses and are opening more than 120 additional hospital beds across the state.
In real terms the latest data shows that health expenditure per person in Tasmania increased 3.7 per cent in 2015-16, compared to the previous year – this is well above the national average of 2.1 per cent and second only to Qld.
Importantly the latest data does not include record investments made by the Government in the last two state budgets.
We are a Government that genuinely wants to make a difference in people’s lives.
While it’s encouraging to see that our strong investment in health is being recognised there is always more to be done. That’s why as part of our Plan to Build Your Future we have set new ambitious targets for 90 per cent of Tasmanians to be treated within clinically recommended timeframes for their elective surgery, and 90 per cent of people presenting to the Emergency Department to be in and out of the ED within four hours.