BUDGET DELIVERS $12.1 BILLION BOOST TO HEALTH SERVICES

JEREMY ROCKLIFF MP, Premier and Minister for Health

More beds, staff and initiatives to drive down wait lists are at the centre of the 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget as the Tasmanian Liberal Government invests a record of almost $8.3 million on average every day in the health system to build Tasmania’s future.

The 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget confirms the Government’s commitment to the health system with 34.8 per cent of the total budget being allocated to health services.

The Government is also investing $682.9 million over the Budget and Forward Estimates into world-class, state-of-the-art infrastructure for hospitals, ambulance stations and mental health facilities.

Premier and Minister for Health, Jeremy Rockliff, said that Tasmanian Liberal Government recognises the importance Tasmanians place on health, which is why we have committed $12.1 billion to health over the Forward Estimates to deliver the health care system Tasmanians deserve.

“This budget ensures targeted, careful and considered investments that enables us to get on with the job of driving down waiting lists, employing more staff, opening more beds, and delivering new and upgraded infrastructure and health services right across the State.

Premier Rockliff said he knows how important health staff are in delivering the services Tasmanians need.

“Since coming to Government, we have employed almost 1,400 additional nurses, 390 additional doctors, 310 additional allied health professionals and 220 additional paramedics and dispatch officers and we continue to recruit every day,” the Premier said.

“This Budget delivers funding for our nation-leading Allied Health Scholarship initiative which will boost our Allied Health workforce. The Scholarship will see up to 45 allied health professionals added to the Tasmanian Health Service (THS) from 2024, providing an immediate workforce boost on the ground in areas that are currently experiencing workforce shortages.”

“As promised, the Budget also locks in funding to make permanent the 97 Ambulance Tasmania positions originally established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Premier Rockliff added the 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget will see a key election commitment to open 298 beds by 2023-24 bought forward.

“The Government has allocated $374 million over the Forward Estimates to continue to open more beds and keep existing beds open. A total of 228 beds are expected to be open by 30 June 2023, with an additional 70 beds to be open by 30 June 2024.”

A priority of the Government is to drive down Tasmanian elective surgery, endoscopy and outpatient waiting lists so that more Tasmanians get the care they need, sooner. The Government’s $196.4 million statewide Elective Surgery Plan is working, with the latest health dashboard confirming elective surgery wait lists are at their lowest level since July 2018.

“To further build on this investment, the 2023-24 Budget includes an additional $38 million boost to endoscopy services to ensure our health system is supported to deliver an additional 22,000 endoscopy procedures by 2027, significantly reducing wait times for Tasmanians,” Premier Rockliff said.

“To ensure we can continue to implement our Outpatient Transformation Strategy, the Budget also includes an additional $20 million over the next two years to deliver an immediate reduction to wait times.

“This funding will see the implementation of nurse-led clinics so that those who have been waiting the longest, can access services as soon as possible. It also addresses known service gaps and increase access to evidence-based musculoskeletal pathways and introduce new pain and rheumatology services, as well as help develop and implement alternative healthcare pathways.”

Premier and Minister for Health, Jeremy Rockliff said that every dollar spent in health is carefully targeted to achieve the best outcomes and build the health care system Tasmanians deserve.

“It is because of our sensible, responsible economic management that allows us to invest so heavily into Tasmania’s health system,” Premier Rockliff said.

“Under our government, we will continue to build upon the work we are doing to deliver a world-class health system.”