The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to working with our primary health sector and GPs to ease the demand on our public hospitals and serve the needs of all Tasmanians.
We know that by treating people in the community where safe and appropriate to do so, we’re not only able to reduce pressure on our hospitals, but also provide patients with more comfortable and accessible care closer to home.
That’s why we are delivering a third round of our Government’s successful GP After Hours Support Initiative which will prioritise support for vulnerable Tasmanians across the State - including those experiencing homelessness - who may find it particularly tough to access a GP.
Following the first two rounds of the initiative and feedback from service providers and stakeholders, this latest round will be focused on expanding and improving the primary care health services who can provide those services to vulnerable cohorts and communities during their current operating hours as well as after hours.
This means that GPs or community service organisations that support our most vulnerable, or who provide an established primary care service, can access funding to further extend their operating hours so that patients can access treatment without attending the emergency department (ED).
These vulnerable groups include communities in regional, rural and remote areas with limited in-hour health services provision, those experiencing homelessness, people with disability, priority population groups such as the LGBTQI+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, or culturally and linguistically diverse.
Based on the feedback we received about supporting sustainable health service delivery in our communities, these grants will be awarded for up to three years where it can demonstrate the development and implementation of more sustainable models of care.
Overall, through the GP After Hours Initiative, the Tasmanian Liberal Government is investing $8 million over four years and to date, 15 primary health providers have been funded across two grant rounds.
While the Federal Government is responsible for funding GPs and primary care, the Tasmanian Government is listening and stepping in to fill the gaps with a number of investments into primary health care in our communities – such as our Hospital in the Home services, Community Rapid Response Service and more recently the deployment of our Community Paramedics.
Applications for Round 3 will open next Friday 19 August 2022 and will be open for 4 weeks. Eligible applicants include GPs, accredited private hospitals, or primary care services linked to a general practice through an agreed referral process or a community sector organisation.