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Budget 2022-23
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RECORD FUNDING TO STRENGTHEN TASMANIA’S HEALTH SYSTEM

Jeremy Rockliff MP, Premier and Minister for Health

The 2022-23 Tasmanian Budget delivers for all Tasmanians a record $11.2 billion investment in health across the Forward Estimates as we continue to make health our highest priority.

This Budget will see an average spend of $7.25 million per day on health - accounting for 33.6 per cent – or a third of the Budget’s total operating expenditure.

There’s good reason for this investment. We are seeing demand for health services increasing across Tasmania, particularly for emergency health response services.

That’s why this Budget delivers a game-changing strategy to improve patient outcomes through digital health, with an initial $150 million over the Forward Estimates as part of a 10-year project. The impact of this significant investment will be immense, providing for a fully integrated health care system while increasing capacity, so more Tasmanians can get access to the healthcare they need, regardless of where they live.

It is anticipated more than $475 million will be allocated to this project over the next 10 years to 2032, as the strategy is further scoped and developed.

We are also investing a further $50 million this year to maintain the new beds we fast-tracked to ensure the health system was well prepared to respond, ahead of the border changes last December.

This Budget backs in our clinician-led $196.4 million plan to deliver around 30,000 extra elective surgeries and endoscopies over four years. We are seeing the benefits of this investment, with an 18.8 per cent reduction in the elective surgery waiting list in the past 12 months. Complementing this investment, we are allocating $12.1 million for Public Private partnerships to enhance capacity to deliver care to public patients sooner.

We’re investing $7.2 million over four years in the Outpatient Transformation Program to implement innovative service models to ensure Tasmanians receive best practice services within clinically appropriate timeframes. The Program will also implement a Statewide Outpatient Administration Hub and digital portal to improve patient communications, implement electronic referrals and ensure an efficient and effective service.

Further to this, an investment of $4.7 million over two years will see the adoption of bedside medication management across the Tasmanian Health Service, ensuring nurses have more time to do what they do best – care for their patients.

Like other states and territories, we are seeing an increase in demand for ambulance services. Since coming to Government in March 2014, we’ve recruited 243 additional FTE into Ambulance Tasmania. However, we know there’s more to do, which is why the 2022-23 Budget builds upon our investment in Ambulance Tasmania and includes:

  • $17.2 million toward the $20.5 million commitment to construct two state-of-the-art super Stations in Glenorchy and Burnie;
  • $10 million over three years for new ambulance stations at Queenstown, Bridgewater and Oatlands;
  • $14 million over four years to upgrade rural and regional hospital and ambulance stations;
  • $6.6 million over four years to recruit 11 new paramedics for the Huonville and Sorell Ambulance Stations; and
  • $7 million over two years toward our $9 million commitment for new ambulance vehicles and equipment.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government will continue to strengthen the future for all Tasmanians by prioritising health and delivering on our commitments to ensure Tasmanians can access the right health care, in the right place at the right time.