Implementing Tasmania’s long-term healthcare plan

The Tasmanian Government is continuing to deliver our vision for the future of healthcare in Tasmania. 

In line with this commitment, a progress report has today been released outlining the health projects delivered throughout the last year in implementing the Long-Term Plan for Healthcare in Tasmania 2040.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Guy Barnett, said the actions and achievements in the 2023-2024 Progress Report highlighted the extensive work being undertaken across the State to build a world-class health system.

“The Long-Term Plan provides a blueprint for how our Government will work with the Tasmanian community to achieve our vision that all Tasmanians are supported by  an innovative and integrated health system,” Minister Barnett said.

“In the first year of implementing this plan, we have focused on building the foundations needed for a modern and sustainable health system that provides accessible, patient-centred services and meets the demand challenges of the future.

“This has included new and continued investments in critical infrastructure, digital technologies, contemporary models of care, and, of course, our health workforce.

“Under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future we want Tasmania to be the healthiest and happiest place it can possibly be, and this Plan helps ensure we can achieve this.”

Some of the key strategic initiatives that continue to deliver improvements to health services as part of the Long-Term Plan include Health Workforce 2040, the 10-year strategy for Digital Health Transformation – Improving Patient Outcomes and infrastructure and hospital masterplanning. 

Other important initiatives that have been achieved in 2023-2024 include:

• In partnership with the Australian Government, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have been established in Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport;
• Implementation of the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine Services at the Mersey Community Hospital to enable the access to 24/7 on-call support from stroke specialists in Victoria;
• Expanding Hospital@Home in the South, to significantly increase the amount of hospital-level care delivered in the community, by expanding its “virtual ward” from 12 to 22 beds and providing rapid response services;
• Establishment of a Tasmanian Rural and Remote Clinical Network to understand rural needs, make connections and provide advice to health leaders for decision making; and
• Continuing to deliver our Outpatient Transformation Strategy – with release of the Year 2 Implementation Activities – to better meet the needs of our community and ensure people have access to the services they need.

The Long-Term Plan, its Implementation Plan, Progress Report and further information on the Our Healthcare Future reforms is available here.