Our plan to enhance health services for children and young people in Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government is taking decisive action to improve access to health services for children and young people, with the release today of strategic priorities to ensure patients receive the care they need sooner.

The plan – Strategic priorities to enhance health services for children and young people including decreasing sub-specialty paediatric waiting lists – reaffirms our commitment to providing a world-class, person-centred health system which supports the health needs of children and young people.

It outlines priority actions being undertaken by the Department of Health to ensure resources are being used effectively to create a more sustainable health system, and to optimise health outcomes for children and young people across Tasmania.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the Government was committed to providing timely care and improving health outcomes for children and young people.

“It is a priority for us to enhance the delivery of health services for our young people, ensuring they and their families are supported with timely and equitable care,’’ Minister Archer said.

“To achieve this, it is important that health services are equipped with the appropriate workforce mix, infrastructure and support systems to deliver consistent and high-quality care to those who need it.

“Our Government is delivering for Tasmania with continued investment and actions to enhance services for children and young people that align with the Long-Term Plan for Healthcare in Tasmania 2040, which prioritises improving access to healthcare services in the community and hospital for this cohort.”

The plan released today outlines a range of interim actions that are already underway to bolster services and reduce waiting lists, including:

• Delivery of the new Southern Intensive Residential Parenting Unit in partnership with the Commonwealth, and delivery of the Northern Intensive Residential Parenting Unit in partnership with Tresillian;
• More than $6.6 million in new and increased funding to address paediatric wait lists for conditions like ADHD and autism, and boosting specialist services by recruiting additional paediatric cardiologists, geneticists, and other sub-specialists, in addition to expanding statewide paediatric rehabilitation;
• Major investments in child and youth mental health with comprehensive, ongoing reforms backed by $10 million in recurrent funding, delivering approximately 80 new positions for the Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS), increasing the statewide workforce by 84 per cent since 2021.

Development of a broader Statewide Strategy to Enhance Health Services for Children and Young People is well underway. The strategy will be released in mid-2026, following extensive clinician and consumer consultation.

The plan released today can be viewed here.