LEADING THE WAY: TASMANIA THE STATE OF INNOVATION

JEREMY ROCKLIFF MP, Premier and Minister for Health

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is leading the way when it comes to implementing new and innovative initiatives to deliver better access to healthcare.

The 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget enables the Government to continue to build Tasmania’s future by driving innovation across our health system so that we can deliver better health outcomes for all Tasmanians.

Premier and Minister for Health, Jeremy Rockliff, said that the Government is progressing its digital transformation of the Tasmanian Health Service, which is changing the way it delivers patient care, increasing capacity across the system.

“A total of $180 million has been allocated across the 2023-24 Budget and Forward Estimates to progress our 10-year Digital Health Transformation, with more than $475 million expected to be invested across the life of the project,” Premier Rockliff said.

“This digital transformation will deliver a range of benefits for patients, including access to convenient healthcare in local communities, improved communications about appointments, reduced waiting time for services, and less duplication of care and forms.”

As part of the Government’s long-term plan for health care, the 2023-24 Budget secures funding to build upon our successful virtual care programs such as COVID@homeplus and to further develop virtual care hubs and specialised response teams to care for Tasmanians in the community.

“By investing in Virtual Care support for specific conditions or types of patients, we can help to reduce unnecessary trips to hospital, and safely support earlier discharge from hospital to free up acute care beds to meet growing demand,” the Premier said.

“We have seen the positive impacts our home-based models of care such as ’hospital in the home’ have had on the health system with thousands of Tasmanians treated in the comfort of their own home, and the expanded model will provide even more access and flexibility of choice for patients, families and clinicians.

“To further build on these successful programs, and develop other new innovative initiatives, $41 million has been allocated in this Budget for the next two years.

“In addition to virtual care hubs, we are continuing to invest in models of care to keep Tasmanians in their homes, rather than transferring them to Hospital, including our $8 million GP After Hours Initiative and Secondary Triage.”

Tasmania’s new mental health emergency co-response initiative, PACER, has also had great success assisting over 1,800 Tasmanians experiencing acute mental health concerns and supported 76 per cent of these people to remain in the community.

Premier Rockliff added that noting this success, the Budget includes funding for a two-year tailored pilot in the North West and further funding increases over the forward estimates with the anticipation of rolling it out statewide.

With Tasmanians facing increasing difficulty in accessing timely, affordable Primary health care, the Tasmanian Liberal Government has also been stepping up and progressing new innovative initiatives to ensure Tasmanians are getting the care they need in the most appropriate place.

Premier Rockliff recently announced a pilot program, in collaboration with the Australian Government where GP Registrars will be employed by the Tasmanian Health Service with the same income, leave entitlements and other benefits as doctors working in hospital settings.

“This joint $13 million innovative program will attract and retain more GPs in rural areas to help more Tasmanians access the primary care they need,” Premier Rockliff said.

“We are also making it easier for Tasmanians to access medications, through a nation-leading initiative to enable Tasmanian pharmacists to dispense a one-off, one-month medication supply of after a patient’s prescription runs out and a GP is unavailable.

“These changes show our government is committed to ensuring that Tasmanians can access the care they need and, in addition to the direct benefits to patients, will also free up capacity for other GP/medical appointments.

“Not only are we investing a record amount of funding into health, but we are also thinking outside the square and delivering new, bold and innovative initiatives that make a real difference in the everyday lives of Tasmanians.

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

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