I consider it a privilege to be the Minister for Health and I am looking forward to getting to work straight away to deliver the plan we laid out during the election, to ensure Tasmanians get the care they need, when and where they need it.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government considers health a priority which is why we have increased the health budget by 70 per cent since 2014 and we are investing $9.8 billion in health over the next four years.
This is unprecedented resourcing that is delivering record staffing levels, opening beds, and investing in the facilities our patients and staff deserve.
However there are ongoing challenges with demand continuing to increase, putting pressure on health services and staff. This means we must do more.
Our plan to deliver even better healthcare for Tasmanians, starts with priorities outlined in our first 100 day Plan.
This week I will be meeting with representatives from the State’s private hospitals to progress our major $20 million commitment to deliver care sooner for Tasmanians by ensuring our private hospitals are better able to support our public hospitals to manage demand. I firmly believe that we can get better results for patients by working together.
Within the first 30 days we will also:
I will work hard to progress the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s Plan to deliver better health care for all Tasmanians. My focus will be on ensuring care is received when it is needed – in a timely manner, and in the right environment - which for people who don’t require surgery is often in community care, or a home setting. I also want to ensure our health system is a preferred workplace with a culture that values and supports all staff.