A major focus for the Tasmanian Liberal Government is recruiting and retaining health staff across our state to support our $156 million elective surgery blitz.
This investment is expected to deliver nearly 20,000 more elective surgeries and over 2300 extra endoscopies over the next four years for Tasmanians, so it is critical we have the health staff in place to support this effort.
More than 180 staff are expected to be needed statewide to support this increase in volume, with the recruitment process already underway in line with our plan for our first 100 days in Government.
The Launceston General Hospital is currently advertising for additional perioperative nursing staff, with positions being advertised on both specialty nursing and general nursing recruitment platforms.
A Trauma and Acute Surgical Unit on Ward 6A of the Royal Hobart Hospital will be established in coming months for acute surgery and complex trauma and admissions, and a recruitment campaign is being launched today to support this.
Employment agencies are also being engaged to assist in filling more than 40 full-time equivalent nursing staff required to work in the unit, as well as additional positions required to open another theatre at the RHH later this year.
The Government is keen to work with clinicians, healthcare staff and stakeholders on a collaborative solutions-based approach to the challenges we face in health, which includes the best methods to not just attract but retain staff in every region of our state.
The first meeting of our newly established Health Staff Recruitment Taskforce will be convened on the 16th of June.
This Taskforce will include representatives from the AMA, ANMF, HACSU and UTAS and make recommendations on strategies and initiatives to support the recruitment of a more stable and permanent workforce with a particular focus on supporting elective surgery, opening additional beds and taking pressure off emergency departments.
The Taskforce will also oversee the development of overarching, holistic recruitment strategies for health professionals, including consideration of incentives where there are critical shortages.
We have committed to employing up to 280 FTE additional staff across our health system to support new and boosted health services across Tasmania and we are determined to deliver.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to delivering better healthcare for all Tasmanians, in the right place, at the right time, and we have hit the ground running.