The Tasmanian Liberal Government has a vision for a bold, and ambitious, Primary Care Reform agenda so that Tasmanians can get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
It is well known that the Primary Care sector is facing many challenges – not just here in Tasmania but right across the country.
These challenges are caused by the current health funding arrangements and the split of responsibility between Federal and State governments.
However, our communities do not see that GPs are the responsibility of the Australian Government and nor should this matter to them.
Because of this split, Tasmanians experience a system that, despite the best efforts of our dedicated and hard-working GPs, is characterised by falling bulk-billing rates and increasing difficulty in accessing a GP appointment.
It is no surprise that at times, patients feel that an Emergency Department becomes their only option.
That’s why, if we are to truly deliver better primary care to Tasmanians – we need to think differently about how this is done.
Our Government is committed to exploring ways in which we can work with the Australian Government, GPs, stakeholders and the community to deliver something truly innovative - general practice and primary care services in rural and regional areas in Tasmania which struggle to offer sustainable GP services, could continue to be funded by the Federal Government but run by the State, and fully integrated with Tasmania’s single public health and hospital system.
We will work with the Australian Government to explore ways in which this trial can be sustainable, effective and patient-focused, and meets the needs of our communities.
It will encourage collaboration through the integration of services within the state health service and the reduction of silos between sectors of health.
Importantly, Tasmania’s Primary Care Reform will achieve several clear benefits for patients including improved access to bulk-billing GPs, better integration between General Practitioners and other medical specialists, and streamlined sharing of information which will deliver a greater benefit from our record $150 million investment in digital health over the next four years.
This model will ensure patient outcomes are at the centre of all decisions and that we enable our health care workers to perform at the top of their scope.
This Primary Care Reform will be bold. It will be ambitious. And it will make a true difference in the way Tasmanians can access healthcare in our State.