Health
On Tasmania’s Health System…
A compilation of media releases and other material regarding Tasmania’s health system.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 27 February 2026
Daily Updates to Increase Transparency of Health System
More health data will be published daily from today, in line with the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to openness and transparency.
From today, the Department of Health will commence daily publication of information regarding ambulance response times, all outpatients’ statistics, and elective surgery wait list reporting.
These new measures will join existing daily reporting outlining the percentage of ambulance incidents transferred to hospital staff within 60 minutes of arrival across all our major hospitals, along with a range of Emergency Department (ED) measures, including the number of ED presentations, waiting times to be seen, and length of stay in ED.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said this will allow a near real-time view of health system performance.
“We are committed to increasing transparency in our health system, and this is an important step that gives Tasmanians even greater access to information about how our health system is performing each day,” the Minister said.
“It will also complement other routine reporting, such as reports from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the annual Report on Government Services.”
The Daily Health System Dashboard is published on the Department of Health website.
Media Release – Cecily Rosol MP, Greens Health Spokesperson, 28 February 2026
Rockliff Government Hiding Ambulance Response Times
In a cynical move clearly designed to keep Tasmanians in the dark, the Rockliff Government has abruptly stopped publicly reporting critical information about ambulance response times.
For many years, the Health Dashboard has reported ambulance response times for Tasmania on a monthly basis, alongside 12 months of historical data. This approach has allowed the community to see how ambulance services have performed across the course of a year.
But under the guise of “increased transparency”, the Rockliff Government has abandoned this approach. Instead, they are only providing daily snapshots, with historical reporting only going back a week – rather than more than a year.
Daily updates might sound fine, but they’re as good as meaningless in understanding the big picture of how our ambulance services are keeping up with the needs of our community. The government will try to pretend otherwise, but however this is dressed up their real goal is pretty obvious – to put a stop to the cycle of bad headlines over worsening ambulance response times.
Tasmanians deserve so much better than this cynical and secretive approach. If the Liberals don’t want negative press for the major issues in our ambulance service, maybe they should actually do what it takes to fix those problems.
In the meantime, the Minister must reverse this decision and make sure this critical health data is publicly available.
Media Release – Sarah Lovell MLC, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health & Wellbeing, 28 February 2026
Another Empty Liberal Promise on Health
Jeremy Rockliff’s Liberals have become renowned for their broken and unfilled promises, and it looks like they’ve done it again with a co-located hospital in Launceston.
At the 2024 election the Liberals promised to partner with the Launceston Health Hub to build a new $70 million hospital in Launceston.
Now, it’s been revealed the project has been stopped in its tracks by an “eleventh-hour condition” the Liberals kept secret from the proponents.
Labor supported the establishment of the hospital, and is extremely disappointed to see the lack of progress, as the new hospital goes the way of so many other Liberal projects and promises.
Jeremy Rockliff can’t be trusted to keep his word, and he can’t be trusted to deliver for Tasmanians.
The Premier and Bridget Archer need to clean this mess up, so northern Tasmanians can access what they were promised by this untrustworthy Liberal Government.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 28 February 2026
New Strategy to Support Midwifery Workforce and Families
The midwifery workforce and services will be strengthened across Tasmania as part of a newly released vision.
Released today, Midwifery Matters: Tasmanian Midwifery Workforce Strategy, builds on the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s strong focus on supporting women and families across the State.
Midwifery Matters provides a blueprint for strengthening the midwifery workforce and services.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the Strategy is a commitment to Tasmanian women, families and both current and future midwives.
“Midwives are absolutely essential to maternity care, supporting families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period – and we know supporting them is key to providing the best outcomes for mothers and babies,” Minister Archer said.
“Midwifery Matters sets out how our Government will continue to support and strengthen our midwifery workforce.
“It is also a clear commitment to listening to women, valuing midwives, and providing contemporary, respectful, and evidence-based care.”
Midwifery Matters delivers on a key election commitment from the Tasmanian Liberal Government.
The Strategy responds to the voices of Tasmanian women, including those heard during the recent consultation process, national policy directions, and global best practice.
It outlines 20 actions to further strengthen services and elevate midwifery practice across three main themes of workforce capacity, workforce capability, and connection with women and families.
“We will enhance education pathways, expand midwifery-led models of care, and ensure that every woman has access to continuity of care, regardless of location or circumstance,” Minister Archer said.
“In alignment with Midwifery Matters, the University of Tasmania is reintroducing the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery later this year, expanding opportunities for midwifery education in our State.
“Our Liberal Government is delivering for Tasmania by ensuring midwives work to their full scope of practice, families are empowered and the care received is the safe, high-quality care they deserve.”
Media Release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier & Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 1 March 2026
Next Phase of Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department Expansion
The next phase of the state-of-the-art expansion of the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) emergency department expansion is about to begin.
Hansen Yuncken has been selected as the contractor to deliver the project,.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the expansion will be a massive boost to healthcare in southern Tasmania.
“The state-of-the-art expansion will deliver better patient outcomes and providing a contemporary working environment for healthcare workers and delivering better health outcomes for Tasmanians,” the Premier said.
“The ED expansion will help more Tasmanians access the right care, in the right place, at the right time and deliver a more streamlined patient and visitor experience.
“We are delivering for Tasmania by investing in the healthcare Tasmanians need now and for the future.”
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the $130 million Emergency Department Expansion is part of the broader Stage 2 RHH Redevelopment, with several upgrades already delivered.
“Our Government is delivering for Tasmanians by providing more access to high-quality care, when and where it’s needed,” Minister Archer said.
“Phase 1 of the ED Expansion was completed in 2023, delivering an additional 28 treatment points, and extensive works to prepare the hospital for the next phase of construction have been delivered.
“With construction of Phase 2 of the ED Expansion getting underway, over the coming weeks the community will start to notice changes, including traffic and pedestrians on Argyle Street, while the new entrance is being built.
“Upgrading a working hospital is highly complex, and construction work will be carefully staged and sequenced to minimise disruption to clinical services and the public.”
Construction will begin with the creation of a temporary ED entrance on Argyle Street, to allow for the demolition and redevelopment of the existing ED on the lower ground level of Liverpool Street.
In mid-2026 the construction site will move from Argyle Street to the Liverpool Street side of the hospital, where works will continue until early 2028.
There will be temporary signage and traffic management will be in place to help people move safely around the site.
Up-to-date information about the works, including changes to hospital access and traffic impacts, will be available at www.health.tas.gov.au.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 1 March 2026
Support for Nurse Practitioners Outlined in Strategy
The role Nurse Practitioners play in delivering essential health care to Tasmanians will be strengthened by the Tasmanian Government, as part of a new strategy released today.
The Nurse Practitioner Strategy includes:
- Growing the Nurse Practitioner workforce and recruiting Nurse Practitioners with skill sets to address Tasmanians’ healthcare needs
- Raising awareness of Nurse Practitioners’ scope of practice
- Developing person-centred models of care and addressing barriers to practice
- Workforce and succession planning for sustainability of Nurse Practitioner roles
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the feedback received during recent public consultation has been incorporated into the final Strategy.
“It was pleasing to see strong overall support for the direction and actions contained in the Strategy,” Minister Archer said.
“The Strategy highlights opportunities for Nurse Practitioners to enhance care delivery across the health system and Tasmanian communities.
“Nurse Practitioners are highly experienced registered nurses with advanced skills who are authorised to deliver advanced, autonomous, and clinically focused care across a range of health settings, including community and rural and remote areas.”
The new Strategy highlights opportunities for the Nurse Practitioner role, providing a vision for a sustainable, integrated, and ef
fective Nurse Practitioner workforce.A Strategy Implementation and Evaluation Plan will be developed and an advisory group established to lead delivery of the Strategy.In addition, a scholarship scheme is open to support Registered Nurses to obtain their Masters of Practitioner qualifications.
The scholarships are available for Registered Nurses working in the Tasmanian public health system, initially targeting high-priority service areas, and using a phased approach to support tuition costs, with applications closing on 22 March 2026.
More information on the Nurse Practitioner Strategy is available on the Department of Health website.
Media Release – Sarah Lovell MLC, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health & Wellbeing, 1 March 2026
Eye-watering Spend on Fly-in, Fly-out Nurses Exposes Liberals’ Health Workforce Failure
Figures released to Labor under RTI have exposed the extent of the Liberal Government’s failure to properly plan and manage recruitment and retention across the health system.
The figures show that in 2020-21, the Government spent under $15 million on nursing locums.
By 2024-25, that figure had skyrocketed to over $105 million – an astonishing increase of over 600 per cent.
It is no secret that it costs significantly more to employ locum nurses than permanent staff – in some cases up to three times more.
The Liberals have been in Government for nearly 12 years. This rapidly increasing reliance on locum nurses is undeniable evidence they have failed to properly prioritise recruitment and retention across the health system, and its coming back to bite Tasmanians hard.
Money which could be invested into permanent staff, or increased services is instead being used to plug holes because the Liberals failed to properly plan ahead.
It’s just like we saw from Jeremy Rockliff and his team with the Spirit of Tasmania fiasco, and it’s another stuff-up that will leave Tasmanians paying the price.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 4 March 2026
North West Regional Hospital Redevelopment Reaches Next Stage
Work to deliver $14.5 million upgrades at the North West Regional Hospital Emergency Department (ED) and ambulance drop off area has reached an important milestone, with a Development Application (DA) submitted to Burnie City Council this week.
The North West Regional Hospital New Ambulance Drop Off and Emergency Department Redevelopment will provide modern, improved facilities for patients, staff, and visitors.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the important upgrades will improve safety and security, and are being delivered as part of Stage 1 of the North West Hospitals Masterplan.
“The reconfigured ED will include expanded triage and assessment areas, improved staff amenities, and facilities for people living with disabilities or mental health challenges, and those who have experienced sexual assault,” Minister Archer said.
“These upgrades will also boost security and safety in the ED, including improving lines of sight and positioning of security staff, widening narrow passageways, and enhancing wayfinding.
“We are delivering for Tasmania by investing in upgrades that will enable faster response times, enhance patient and staff services, and increase access, privacy, security, and safety for all ED users.
“The proposed works will also improve pedestrian safety and access around the Emergency Department.”
The designs have been developed in close consultation with clinicians and staff from the North West Regional Hospital and Ambulance Tasmania, as well as key stakeholders including consumer advocates and Tasmania Police.
Subject to achieving the necessary approvals and the appointment of a construction contractor, works are expected to begin in mid-2026.
Media Release – Cecily Rosol MP, Greens Health Spokesperson, 4 March 2026
Overcrowding and Unsafe LGH Staffing Unacceptable
Reports from the ANMF of catastrophic overcrowding and dangerously inadequate staffing levels at the Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department are incredibly concerning. Minister Archer must step up.
It’s simply unacceptable to hear on Monday evening there were 41 admitted patients, when there was only safe capacity for 33. Shockingly, another 17 patients were in the waiting room, with some waiting for more than 40 hours.
Nurses in the LGH are doing their best to care for patients. But they just can’t keep up when there aren’t enough staff on shift, and the hospital is overcrowded.
This isn’t a one off. Overcrowding and understaffing is becoming the new normal at the LGH. These conditions are unsafe, not only for patients, but for staff as well. Nurses are physically and emotionally exhausted, and it’s leading to burn out. Is it any wonder that there are currently 35 nursing vacancies?
Nurses have been raising the alarm for more than a year now, but the government has been failing to increase the number of nurses as promised. Minister Archer must step up and ensure safe staffing levels for both patients and healthcare workers by hiring the nurses the LGH needs.
Key to attracting more nurses to roles in our healthcare system is negotiations on the ANMF’s workplace agreement, which ends in June. It’s time for the Minister to start the overdue negotiations and ensure nurses have the pay and conditions they deserve, and which are attractive to prospective hires.
Media Release – Sarah Lovell MLC, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health & Wellbeing, 8 March 2026
Paramedic Numbers Go Backwards Despite Liberals’ Election Promise
New staffing data obtained by Labor has revealed the Liberal Government’s long-promised paramedic recruitment blitz has gone backwards, raising serious concerns about the capacity of Ambulance Tasmania to meet growing demand.
At the 2024 election, Jeremy Rockliff promised the biggest recruitment drive of paramedics in Tasmania’s history, committing to recruit 78 additional paramedics across the state.
But the latest figures show that instead of growing the workforce, staffing levels have actually declined.
As of 30 September 2025, the total number of employees at Ambulance Tasmania had fallen from 800 in June, to 785.
Over the same period, Ambulance Award full-time equivalent positions dropped from 587.58 to 568.59.
At the same time, reports indicate unfilled shifts are increasing, particularly in the North West.
The Liberals told Tasmanians help was on the way, but the reality is that the paramedic workforce is shrinking while pressure on the system continues to grow.
When paramedic numbers fall and shifts go unfilled, the consequences are felt directly by the community through longer response times and increased pressure on already stretched frontline staff.
Tasmania’s paramedics do an extraordinary job every day in extremely challenging circumstances, but they cannot continue to carry the burden of a workforce that isn’t keeping pace with demand.
Tasmanians were promised more paramedics on the road. Instead, they are seeing fewer.
The Government needs to explain why its election promise on paramedic recruitment is failing, and outline what immediate steps it will take to ensure Ambulance Tasmania has the staff it needs to keep Tasmanians safe.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 9 March 2026
Construction tenders invited for Northern Mental Health Precinct
A new, purpose-built Mental Health Precinct for Northern Tasmania is one step closer with tenders now open for its construction.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is building the $90 million Precinct opposite the Launceston General Hospital at 52 Frankland Street.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Bridget Archer said the Northern Mental Health Precinct is part of our Government’s commitment to building a world-class mental health system.
“The Northern Mental Health Precinct will deliver for Tasmania by providing a contemporary, home-like environment for immediate support, brief interventions, education, and assistance in navigating services,” Minister Archer said.
“We are investing $90 million in the new Precinct, which will feature a 30-bed mental health inpatient unit to replace the current Northside Unit, and will also include a Recovery College and Safe Haven.
“Dedicated car parking will be created for staff and health consumers, and the Precinct will be connected to the Launceston General Hospital via a pedestrian link bridge.
“The precinct puts people at the centre, ensuring it improves mental health outcomes by enabling timely access to care, reducing avoidable Emergency Department presentations.
“The new Mental Health Precinct is being delivered as part of Stage Two of the broader Launceston General Hospital Masterplan.”
Site preparation works began in August 2025 with the demolition of the Viewpoint buildings, and a Development Application for the facility’s construction was submitted to the City of Launceston in November 2025.
Subject to necessary approvals and the appointment of a construction contractor, construction is expected to begin this year.
Media Release – Uniting AgeWell, 13 March 2026
A Welcome Boost for Aged Care in Tasmania
Uniting AgeWell is pleased to announce the official opening of a state-of-the-art development at its Sorell Community, Ningana on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, heralding a new era for aged care in the area and a boost to aged care in Tasmania.
The much-anticipated opening of three new wings continues the legacy of care, respect and community connection at the heart of the facility, established 29 years ago.
The 48-bed expansion at Sorell Community, Ningana will increase total care capacity to 112 residents and represents an investment of more than $24 million by Uniting AgeWell.
The home reflects a model of care that puts resident choice and wellbeing at the centre. Enhanced amenities and communal spaces include a café, family Club Lounge, bar, hairdressing salon, multi-purpose rooms and chapel.
It also responds to increasing demand for aged care services in Tasmania and reflects Uniting AgeWell’s commitment to invest in quality and accessible aged care services that support people to remain in their local community.
The vibrant, lifestyle-oriented and welcoming community also offers co-located independent living units, allowing for maximum choice in the level of care provided to residents.
Uniting AgeWell CEO Andrew Kinnersly believes it is important for organisations to continue to commit to expand quality aged care services and consumer choice to meet demand.
“At a time when other providers chose to put a freeze on capital projects, Uniting AgeWell has invested more than $98 million in infrastructure in Tasmania in recent years,” says Mr Kinnersly.
“With a rapidly ageing population we expect to see a significant increase in the demand for both home care and residential care services in coming years. We are ready to meet this demand with innovative, high quality aged care services delivered with respect and kindness.”
The not-for-profit organisation opened new wings at its residential care communities in Mornington and Rosetta across 2024 and 2025, in Newnham in 2021 and in Latrobe in 2019. It also established a unique Community Hub in Rosny Park last year, enabling seniors to more easily access allied health and restorative care services, an AgeWell Gym and the local home care team in one place.
“Uniting AgeWell invests considerable effort into capital planning to ensure that we meet the unique needs of the communities we serve. We strive to understand and meet local community demand and to offer greater choice and access to services, particularly where there are known shortages.”
Mr Kinnersly says the new developments demonstrate how service providers can raise the bar in what is available to those entering aged care.
“I am incredibly proud of what the Uniting AgeWell team has achieved and the living and working environments we have created. I am also excited by the future of aged care and the contribution Uniting AgeWell continues to make as we strive to create thriving and inclusive communities.”
Media Release – CHOICE, 19 March 2026
Health Insurance Prices Reach an All-time High
CHOICE analysis reveals Australians with private health insurance could face increases of up to 25%
A CHOICE analysis of the big five health funds – Bupa, HCF, HBF, Medibank and NIB – has found some Australians with private health insurance could face premium increases of up to 25%, far above the government-approved average rise of 4.41%.
“As the cost of living crisis continues, many Australians will find themselves hit with yet another extra cost this April, when health insurance premiums rise. To make matters worse, it will be the largest average hike in premiums CHOICE has seen since 2017,” says CHOICE health insurance expert Mark Blades.
Earlier this month, the Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, announced a 4.41% average premium increase for health insurance policies. However, CHOICE experts say the advertised average increase does not reflect the true cost many Australian consumers will face.
“The average increase to premiums of 4.41% is just that – an average. Our analysis has revealed a huge difference between the increases consumers will face, depending on the level of policy they hold, particularly those with top-level Gold insurance,” says Blades.
“Of the five largest health funds, HCF has the biggest increase of 25% for its ‘Hospital Optimal Gold’ cover across all states and territories. HCF customers holding this policy will be facing costs more than five times the advertised average,” says Blades.
“For Australians on Basic, Bronze and Silver policies, our analysis shows increases ranging from 2.6% to 3.3% on average, while Gold policies across the largest funds will increase by an average of 13.3%,” says Blades.
CHOICE experts also analysed health insurance price increases over the past five years. Despite the average ‘government-approved’ cumulative increase of 14.8% during this time, prices for Gold cover across the five largest funds have increased on average by a massive 71.1%.
“The higher price increases for these Gold policies are partly caused by ‘phoenixing’, where insurers close older policies to new members and open new, identical policies with the same name at a higher price,” says Blades.
“The government introduced legislation last month to outlaw the sneaky ‘phoenixing’ loophole used by insurers. Unfortunately, we are still seeing top-level cover becoming increasingly unaffordable. The proportion of Australians holding comprehensive cover has dropped significantly, from 39% in 2020 to 28% at the end of 2025, largely due to price hikes,” says Blades.
“We highly recommend consumers prepay their policy for 12 months before their fund increases the price, if they’re able to. By doing this, you can secure some savings and delay the 2026 price increase,” says Blades.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing & Jo Palmer, Minister for Children and Youth, 22 March 2026
New Expanded Site Progressing for Women’s Health in Northern Tasmania
Women and girls in northern Tasmania will have greater access to specialist health services by September this year following a $3.8 million investment by the Tasmanian Government.
Specialist women’s health services provider, The Bubble, is finalising designs to redevelop its newly purchased, larger site at 35-37B Brisbane Street in Launceston and plans to be welcoming patients to the premises by September 2026.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Bridget Archer and Minister for Children and Youth, Jo Palmer, visited the new site today, where renovations will soon begin.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Dr Natasha Vavrek and the team at The Bubble to expand access to these vital specialist services for women and girls,” Minister Archer said.
“Since opening in 2021, The Bubble has seen strong demand for its health services, such as antenatal care, pelvic health and gynaecological care.
“With the purchase of this larger site and upcoming redevelopment, the team will be able to expand its current capacity by 50 per cent and introduce new services, such as a mother-baby day-stay unit.”
Minister for Children and Youth, Jo Palmer, said is delivering for women’s health through a range of investments that expand access to specialist services for women and girls across the State.
“Our partnership with The Bubble is part of our commitment to supporting women and girl’s health across the State,” Minister Palmer said.
“An expanded footprint and capacity will enable The Bubble to deliver more of these services for Tasmanian women and girls living in Northern Tasmania, as well as attract more doctors and allied health staff to the region.
“We know that when we increase the capacity for women and girls to access health services, this has a positive impact on other areas of their lives, like their ability to take part in education and work and actively participate in their communities.”
Media Release – Cecily Rosol MP, Greens Health Spokesperson, 23 March 2026
Tasmania’s Health System in Crisis Under Liberals
Reports of patients dying waiting to be treated at the LGH and southern cancer treatment services unable to cope with surges in demand paint a bleak picture of a health system in crisis. The Rockliff Government needs to get their priorities straight, and ensure Tasmanians have the healthcare they need.
The ANMF are reporting patients are dying at the LGH Emergency Department due to long wait times and inappropriate waiting spaces. Nurses have continually been raising the issues with access and flow at the LGH under the Liberals’ Transfer of Care Procedure but have been ignored by the Liberal Government.
Last year we saw less than half of emergency patients presenting at EDs being seen within clinically recommended timeframes, and what we’re hearing is that things are even worse now.* It’s completely unacceptable that patients are dying waiting for care at the LGH.
Meanwhile, the AMA says underfunding of cancer treatment services in southern Tasmania means there is no capacity to cope with surges in demand. The environment is one mired in delays, inadequate infrastructure, and staffing pressures.
It comes as the Liberals threaten to cut staff within the RHH clinical trial unit, which allows patients to access new cancer treatments. The Liberals underfunding of, and cuts to, cancer treatment services are simply not good enough.
Tasmanian’s healthcare system is in crisis. Every Tasmanian should be able to access the life-saving medical care they need, but the Liberals’ poor management and underfunding means this isn’t the case.
While the Liberals have created a budget mess, it shouldn’t mean we can’t fund the health services Tasmanians need. It’s all a matter of priorities, and the Liberals need to get theirs straight. For many Tasmanians, it’s a matter of life or death.
* Report on Government Services data shows 47% of Category 2 (“Emergency”) patients seen on time. All Category 1 (“Resuscitation”) patients were seen on time.
Media Release – Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), 23 March 2026
LGH Deaths in ED
We’ve all heard the saying, time is money, however in healthcare time is the difference between life and death.
Of course, in hospitals the reality is we expect lives will be saved and sadly deaths will occur, despite clinicians’ best efforts and the most advanced treatments, especially in Tasmania’s Emergency Departments.
Our EDs receive patients who have sustained life-threatening injuries in motor vehicle accidents or those severely compromised due to sepsis or heart attacks. Sadly not all of these patients with these injuries and illnesses can be saved, due to the catastrophic nature of their injuries or illness.
But what if the biggest factor between death and survival was how long you had to wait to receive care?
Surely, this known risk factor would be managed and mitigated in our EDs to ensure that all patients got the care they needed within the clinically recommended times?
Sadly, this is not the case. Long wait times and inappropriate waiting spaces in our EDs are the most insidious risk to patients’ chance of recovery, poor health outcomes or even death.
Despite nurses and doctors continually raising the need to improve access and flow across the health system, wait times continue to balloon while politicians pat themselves on the back for EDs seeing all Category 1 patients, or patients with an immediate life-threatening condition within the clinically recommended timeframe. Almost all other categories of patients are not.
It is these patients who nursing staff have expressed the most concern about, particularly since the Government announced their transfer of care procedure where staff are pressured to offload patient’s into ED’s within 60 minutes of arrival, even if that ED is over capacity and offloading the patient means off-loading them into a corridor or space akin to a cupboard with no oxygen, suction or continuous monitoring.
Despite these continual calls, in the past few weeks patients have died at the Launceston General Hospital after having considerable waits to get an actual bed space in the ED.
This has left nursing staff questioning whether these deaths were avoidable if their calls had of been heeded.
If two planes crashed in the aviation industry in the same space of time, you would ground the fleet and there would be an extensive investigation.
However, at the LGH ED it remains business as usual, while the nursing staff and no doubt families of these patients deal with the trauma associated with these tragic deaths.
While it will no doubt be a matter for the coroner to determine, surely having to put a patient with hypovolemic concerns (decreased volume of circulating blood in the body) in a thoroughfare with no oxygen, suction or continuous monitoring with limited visibility by staff has surely contributed to the deterioration and subsequent death.
What other choice did the nursing and medical staff have? The other option would have been a chair in an overcrowded waiting room.
Similarly, the patient who waited for hours to be offloaded into the ED from the ambulance and had to have some investigations done on an ambulance trolley in a corridor.
Once finally moved into an ED bed space further assessments revealed that the initial tests didn’t highlight the severity of this patient’s illness, only to have the patient die within an hour of actually getting a bed in the ED.
There is no rapid incident response, no black box to tell the devastating truths of the circumstances leading to these deaths, just silence and continued inaction.
The reality is, these deaths are just the beginning, the beginning of a new potentially fatal epidemic of avoidable deaths in our States EDs.
They are the collateral damage of a broken system that this Government don’t have the courage nor the conviction to fix, continuing to hide behind catchy policies and inaccurate data, which is as useful as putting a band aid on a broken bone.
What is required is systemic change right across the health system so that those that need care, wherever they are, can access care and treatment in timely way.
This isn’t just about fixing ambulance response times or waits in EDs.
Another LGH patient last week waited nine hours for an ambulance in the community and then another nine hours in the ED prior to getting a bed.
This demonstrates wait times that are unacceptable in our community and in hospitals.
Improving access and flow across the entire system is the only solution and one that cannot wait, just like the patients who are trying to use the system.
Further neglect and inaction will not only cost the Tasmanian community, potentially with their lives, it will also result in a loss of skilled and essential healthcare staff.
Our members sign up to dealing with life-threatening health situations when they become nurses and midwives.
We understand not all injuries and illnesses can be cured, but what they didn’t sign up for was having to make the decisions about who gets the care and treatment – and who has to wait, potentially deteriorate and possibly die before a bed is actually available despite being inside the four walls of a hospital.
This scenario sounds more like a mass casualty triage after a natural disaster or a bus crash.
But this is what our members face every day when they turn up to work in our States EDs.
Perhaps this is what the Government wants – that overcrowded Eds and excessive wait times becomes the acceptable norm.
Our members will never accept this as normal.
These tragedies are not due to a lack of skill or commitment by hard-working nurses and doctors. It’s caused by a lack of space, access and flow and support to deliver care that patients need on time.
Media Release – University of Tasmania, 24 March 2026
Tasmania Leads National Action on Parkinson’s
Tasmanian expertise and community leadership will take centre stage today with the launch of Australia’s first National Parkinson’s Action Plan (NPAP) in Canberra.
The NPAP is a landmark government-supported strategy which outlines national priorities including Parkinson’s prevention, earlier diagnosis, improved data, workforce capability and equitable access to care and support.
Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest growing neurological disease, where someone is diagnosed every 40 minutes in Australia.
The plan’s evolution was shaped by grassroots advocacy which began in Tasmania and led to the formation of the National Parkinson’s Alliance.
The Alliance is a national collaboration of key stakeholders and leaders in the Parkinson’s community, to help shape policy, strategy and initiatives which support individuals affected by Parkinson’s in Australia.
In 2024, the Alliance received $800,000 in Federal funding to deliver Australia’s first coordinated Action Plan for Parkinson’s.
Youngtown resident and chair of the taskforce that led to the Alliance Dr Harley Stanton initiated the early work through “Wings 4 Parkinson’s” that has resulted in the development of the NPAP.
A retired World Health Organisation public health scientist, Harley was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019.
“This is a giant step for people living with Parkinson’s and offers an opportunity for Australia to become a global leader in this rapidly developing field of brain and body health,” Harley said.
“It will be a ‘game changer’ if the Government is willing to support the implementation of the Plan, one of only a handful in the world.
“It will ensure earlier diagnosis, better care, treatment and support for research and prevention.”
Harley is one of four Tasmanian directors of the National Parkinson’s Alliance, including professors Jane Alty (University of Tasmania’s Wicking Centre) and Michele Callisaya (Menzies Institute for Medical Research) and Claire Myers (chair/president of Parkinson’s Tasmania).
“Parkinson’s has doubled in prevalence in the last 20 years,” Professor Alty said.
“The Action Plan will help to ensure people living with Parkinson’s and their families receive fair and equitable access and address unmet needs of the Parkinson’s community.”
Claire Myers, from Parkinson’s Tasmania, said the launch marked a turning point for the community.
“The National Parkinson’s Action Plan is a watershed moment,” she said.
“It promises a national framework for consistent care so that from the moment a person is diagnosed they feel supported and empowered to navigate their condition knowing it is informed by best practice and equitably implemented across Australia.
“This promises to be a game changer especially for Tasmania where we face inequities due to our regional and remote ecosystem of care and support.”
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 24 March 2026
An Additional 20,000 Dental Appointments Delivered
The Tasmanian Government has delivered more than 20,000 additional dental appointments through public dental services since 1 July 2024.
Oral Health Services Tasmania (OHST) has delivered the expanded service capacity through a $4 million investment into the graduate program, enabling the delivery of extra appointments.
Ten more dental graduates were welcomed to the successful graduate program last month as part of the 2026 graduate intake, providing a further boost to the State’s oral health workforce following the commencement of 11 graduates in 2025.
Visiting the Southern Dental Centre in New Town, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the investment is helping Tasmanians access care sooner, and welcomed the newest oral health graduates to the Tasmanian health system.
“Oral Health Services Tasmania is on track to deliver 24,000 additional appointments by June 2026, surpassing the target of 20,000 additional appointments made at the 2024 State Election,” Minister Archer said.
“I’d like to thank all our hard-working dentists and oral health therapists for reaching this target, including those in our successful oral health graduate program who have been central to delivering additional service capacity.
“I’m also delighted to welcome 10 new oral health graduates who have relocated to Tasmania from interstate and overseas to start their professional careers with OHST last month.
“The new graduate cohort will help to further improve access to oral health services for Tasmanians of all ages right across the State, with four to be based in the North West, three in Launceston, and three in Hobart.
“We are delivering for Tasmania by investing in the healthcare services people need, when and where they need it.”
The graduate program supports early career professionals, providing structured clinical training.
Graduates will provide care across OHST’s services, including emergency dental care, general dental care and denture clinics for adults, or dental care for children and adolescents.
For more information about the graduate program, visit: Graduate opportunities | Tasmanian Department of Health.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 24 March 2026
Consultation Opens on Tasmania’s Next Mental Health Strategy
Consultation has begun on the next overarching Tasmanian mental health strategy, Rethink and Beyond.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said every Tasmanian deserves access to mental health services that are inclusive, compassionate, and effective.
“Over the past decade, reforms delivered through Rethink 2015-2025 and Rethink 2020 have improved service access, expanded community-based care, and strengthened lived experience leadership and system integration,” Minister Archer said.
“The new strategy will build on these strong foundations as we continue working toward a more integrated, high quality and person-centred mental health system for all Tasmanians.
“The Discussion Paper draws on key stakeholder insights from the roundtable held in October 2025, interim findings of the Rethink 2020 evaluation, and community consultation undertaken for the new 20-year preventive health strategy to guide the next phase of reform.
“The paper reflects on achievements under Rethink 2020, identifies ongoing challenges, outlines emerging priorities and opportunities, possible strategic directions for the future, and questions to prompt feedback.
“Our Government is helping people deal with the challenges they face, with compassion and commonsense, and delivering for Tasmanians.”
Stakeholders, service providers, consumers, carers, and community members are invited to help shape the new strategy.
Consultation closes on 1 May 2026.
There will also be further consultation opportunities, including focus groups and community forums to provide feedback on a draft strategy.
Media Release – The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), 27 March 2026
ANMF Release Patient Death Details in Open Letter to the Health Minister
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch today released the details of the patients who died recently at the Launceston General Hospital following long wait times and being placed in a thoroughfare.
“ANMF members are dismayed by reports by the Tasmanian Government and the Department of Health that no evidence supports these claims, when our members see daily the adverse impacts that lengthy wait times have on patients and how risky it is to have a patient parked in a corridor with no monitoring, oxygen or suction,” ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said.
Ms Shepherd said in an unprecedented step, the details related to the two patient deaths have been relayed to the Health Minister.
“We have done this in the hope they will actually be investigated and action may finally be taken on addressing the causative factor to long ambulance response times and ED wait times – access and flow.”
Ms Shepherd said a redacted version of the letter (to protect patient confidentiality) will be released publicly as sustained reports by Government and the Department of Health that no evidence could be found to support the claims have left members feeling unheard and untrusted.
“The fact that no evidence could be found to identify these deaths is quite alarming as it leads members to question how the Government is even tracking the adverse impacts of long wait times on patient care if at all.
“Members see daily these adverse impacts from the loss of dignity of receiving care in the waiting room, to patients lying on trolleys in the waiting room and in severe pain as narcotic analgesia cannot be administered, to patients requiring more invasive surgeries and ICU admission as they have waited so long for care and treatment to be delivered and ultimately those who deteriorate and die in the ED.”
Ms Shepherd said members are concerned that the transfer of care policy ensures that patients are at least brought into the ED yet care and treatment are still not timely.
“Deaths will be attributed to the illness or injury that they presented with, rather than caused by delayed care and treatment.
“However, despite this, the ANMF and its members remain ever willing to meet with the Government and work on actual solutions to improve access and flow across the entire health system in order to protect patients and ensure that they receive safe and quality care.”
Media Release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, 29 March 2026
Wage Proposals for Allied Health and Ambulance Workers
A fair, affordable and comprehensive three year wage proposal has been put forward for allied health professionals.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the offer addresses shared priorities and delivers a pay rise of 3 per cent in year one, 3 per cent in year two and 2.75 per cent in year three.
Most of our employees covered under the agreements will also receive a base pay boost, as well as tailored allowances and conditions.
Specific conditions have been included for perfusionists, ensuring we continue to support these critical health workers.
An 18-month proposal has also been put forward for the Ambulance Tasmania Agreement 2025.
It includes a 3 per cent pay rise in both years one and two, as well as improvements to rosters, work life balance, and increased allowances.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the strong and comprehensive offers have been developed closely with unions.
“A range of targeted allowances and reforms have also been proposed across the Service, ensuring fairness and addressing specific issues for specialised workforces,” Premier Rockliff said.
“We want to ensure our employees receive the pay rise they deserve. We call on the unions to put these proposals to the workforce for a vote.”
The offers remain open until close of business on 31 March 2026, ensuring employees can also receive backpay to the first full salary increase on or after 1 December 2025.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 31 March 2026
Ambulance Tasmania Welcomes New Recruits
Ambulance Tasmania has welcomed 23 new starters across frontline services and its communications centre in an important boost to the State’s ambulance workforce.
Thirteen qualified paramedics will strengthen frontline emergency ambulance services across Tasmania, with six recruits set to be based in stations across the North West, five in the North and two in the South.
Ten emergency call takers are also joining Hobart’s Statewide Communications Centre, where they will play a crucial role answering calls from Tasmanians in their time of need.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, welcomed Ambulance Tasmania’s newest recruits.
“On behalf of the Tasmanian Government, I warmly welcome the thirteen paramedics who have made the excellent decision to relocate to Tasmania and join Ambulance Tasmania,” Minister Archer said.
“The cohort have moved to Tasmania from interstate or overseas – including six paramedics who have relocated from the UK and USA – bringing a cumulative total of 64 years knowledge and experience practicing paramedicine between them.
“The paramedics are currently going through Ambulance Tasmania’s four-week induction program, which provides hands-on training to ensure they are well-prepared and supported to deliver emergency care in the Tasmanian community.
“After completing the program, they will be deployed to each region of the State, where they will receive on-the-road mentoring and support as they transition into their new roles.
“We are also welcoming ten new emergency call takers to Ambulance Tasmania’s Statewide Communications Centre.
“Emergency call takers are the first point of contact when a patient calls Triple Zero (000) and play a critical life-saving role by gathering crucial information, prioritising incidents, and offering pre-arrival instructions.
“The newly recruited call takers are undergoing their induction and training and will start in the communications centre once their five-week program concludes,” Minister Archer said.
For more information about careers in Ambulance Tasmania, visit: Ambulance and paramedic careers.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 31 March 2026
Mental Health Emergency Response Supporting Northern Tasmanians
The Tasmanian Government’s highly successful Mental Health Emergency Response (MHER) service is celebrating one year of operations in the State’s North.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the first year of the service has been very successful in ensuring Tasmanians can access the right mental health care, in the right place, at the right time.
“Commencing this service in the North was the final piece of a statewide rollout, which was a significant milestone for Tasmania’s mental health services,” Minister Archer said.
“The Northern service features the Police, Ambulance and Clinician Early Response (PACER) model, where first responders from each organisation attend callouts in the same vehicle.
“Over the past 12 months, the PACER North team has attended more than 1,083 callouts, supporting people to remain in the community and avoid unnecessary hospital attendances or admissions in nearly three quarters of cases.
“These community-based interventions help reduce pressure on our emergency departments, hospitals, ambulance and police services, providing care more effectively and efficiently.”
Expanding PACER to Northern Tasmania was an important commitment made by the Tasmanian Government at the 2024 State Election, following the successful rollout of the service in the South in 2022 and the North West in 2023.
The Northern service runs from 1:00pm to 11:00pm, seven days a week.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing & Rebecca White, Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, 4 April 2026
Tenders Invited for Construction of the Northern Heart Centre
The delivery of the new Northern Heart Centre at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) has reached an important milestone with tenders now invited for its construction.
The Australian Government has committed $120 million for the establishment of the Northern Heart Centre.
The Northern Heart Centre will provide a new 24-bed cardiac inpatient unit, two cardiac catheterisation labs, and dedicated diagnostic testing and monitoring facilities, improving the capacity and quality of cardiac services for Northern Tasmanians.
It will be located on the Frankland Street side of the LGH, next to the Northern Integrated Care Services building and directly opposite the planned Northern Mental Health Precinct at 52 Frankland Street.
Delivery of the new Centre will consolidate and enhance cardiac care services, creating a dedicated cardiac service in one convenient location to enhance health outcomes for the community.
The Tasmanian Government is committed to working closely with stakeholders and will continue to keep the community informed ahead of construction works commencing later this year, with completion expected in late 2029.
Further information about the Northern Heart Centre is available on the Department of Health website.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing & Catherine King, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, 7 April 2026
New Base to Keep Royal Doctors Flying in Tasmania
A new base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Tasmania is right around the corner with the new aeromedical facility at Launceston Airport breaking ground.
The $21 million RFDS base will support aeromedical retrieval services across Tasmania and enable the delivery of a range of health care services to rural and remote communities, including the Bass Strait Island communities.
This redevelopment will include facilities for world-class clinical care, as well as adequate capacity for fixed wing aircrafts, and rotary aircrafts when required, ground vehicle transfers and the space needed to cater for surge workers when required.
It will increase the reach of support programs for mental health, dental and general practitioner services to the state’s regions and maintain the urgent care services that have already saved many Tasmanian lives.
The new base at Launceston Airport is receiving $15 million of support from the Australian Government under the Priority Community Infrastructure Program, and $6 million from the Tasmanian Government.
It replaces the ageing RFDS base which opened at the Launceston Airport in 1998.
The construction phase is expected to support up to 62 full time jobs, and once operational, the new base will create up to 41 ongoing jobs in Tasmanian healthcare.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 10 April 2026
Westpac Extends Lifesaving Helicopter Sponsorship in Tasmania
Westpac’s sponsorship of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service in Tasmania has been extended for a further two years.
Westpac has supported emergency helicopter services in Tasmania for more than 25 years with sponsorship funds directed towards service enhancing initiatives.
Initiatives delivered with this support include specialist rescue equipment, personal protective equipment for aircrew, and advanced training to ensure the service remains world-class.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is used to treat and transport critically unwell or injured patients from accident scenes, transfer patients between health facilities, and supports search and rescue operations and law enforcement across the State.
The service is provided by both Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police, with StarFlight Australia contracted as the aviation operator from January this year.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said for more than 25 years, Westpac has been a strong and enduring supporter of Tasmania’s emergency helicopter service.
“I want to acknowledge Westpac’s long standing commitment to the Tasmanian community,” Minister Archer said.
“The continuation of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Tasmania name reflects both that legacy of support and our shared commitment to delivering world class emergency response capability for Tasmania.
“These helicopters are a critical part of our health system. They allow highly skilled clinicians to reach patients quickly, provide lifesaving care at the scene, and transport people to the right hospital when every minute counts.
“On behalf of the Tasmanian Government, I’m pleased to confirm the renewal of this partnership for another two years and thank Westpac for their ongoing collaboration.”
Westpac Regional General Manager Tasmania, Justin Caccavo, said Westpac is proud to contribute to initiatives that strengthen the service’s capability for Tasmanians.
“Our long standing support of Westpac rescue helicopter services around Australia is about helping the crew do their job safely and effectively, whether that’s specialist rescue equipment, operational support or advanced training,” Mr Caccavo said.
“The capability of this Service is significant – over the last year alone the Service flew close to 1,000 missions, reaching people in remote and difficult conditions when help is needed quickly.
“We’re grateful for the ongoing collaboration with Ambulance Tasmania, Tasmania Police and all partners involved in keeping Tasmanians safe. It’s a privilege for Westpac to play a part in supporting a world class emergency response capability for Tasmania.”
Media Release – Cecily Rosol MP, Greens Health Spokesperson, 11 April 2026
Ambulance Response Times Worsen
Ambulance response times have worsened in Tasmania in the first two months of 2026, according to a Greens’ RTI. Meanwhile, paramedics are stepping up industrial action, following the Liberals’ failure to provide a fair deal for pay and conditions.
Average ambulance response times increased to 15.5 minutes in January of this year, and 15.6 minutes in February. This is significantly worse than the average response time of 14.9 minutes over the last two years.
When sick Tasmanians call for help, they deserve to know they’ll receive urgent care when they need it most. But increasing ambulance response times show that just isn’t the case.
Instead of taking action to fix the problem, the Liberal Government have tried to bury it. It took a Greens’ RTI to obtain the monthly ambulance response time data the Liberal Government abruptly pulled from the dashboard in February.
Enough is enough. The Liberals need to take action to ensure Tasmanians get an ambulance when they need it. At the very least, Tasmanians deserve the truth about the state of their health system.
It’s not only Tasmanians who bear the brunt of Liberal Government failures. Ambulance Tasmania staff feel it too, working under huge pressure to provide care in a service that is deteriorating due to mismanagement.
Tasmanian paramedics provide critical care in extremely stressful circumstances. They are highly skilled workers who are there during people’s times of greatest need. They deserve respect and recognition for the incredible care they give.
But the Liberal Government has failed to provide workers with the fair deal for pay and conditions they deserve. It’s no wonder they’re stepping up industrial action.
The Tasmanian Greens stand with them. The Liberal Government must recognise the essential work of paramedics by offering wages and conditions that match the value of the work they do.
Media Statement – AMA Tasmania, 15 April 2026
‘Name and Shame’ Won’t Fix Bulk Billing. Fund Care Properly.
AMA Tasmania says the naming of non-bulk billing general practices, being promoted by Federal Labor MP Julie Collins in the electorate of Franklin, is a disappointing political stunt and goes more than a step too far.
Naming and shaming clinics that haven’t been able to viably make the shift to full bulk billing hangs them out to dry. It paints practices as the problem, invites hostility from frustrated patients, and leaves reception staff and GPs to absorb the fallout, including abuse, at the front desk and in the consult room.
Julie Collins must publicly apologise to each of the clinics named in her political flyer, which will now suffer the wrath of their patients for a problem of successive governments’ own making.
The AMA knows of doctors who have chosen to move away from general practice because they are tired of being blamed and because of the anger and abuse that follows. Politicians are implying patients are being denied care by their doctor, when the real issue is the funding model.
It doesn’t create a single extra GP appointment. It doesn’t pay for a single nurse, receptionist or practice manager. It doesn’t keep one clinic’s doors open.
What it does do is shift blame. It invites the public to think clinics are the problem, when the real problem is a Medicare funding model that no longer matches the cost and complexity of modern patient care.
AMA Tasmania President Dr Michael Lumsden-Steel said: “Don’t blame clinics for a funding model governments control. If Medicare doesn’t pay the cost of care, the maths doesn’t work, and patients miss out.”
If Labor wants to talk about bulk billing, it should answer three simple questions: Why doesn’t Medicare cover the real cost of seeing a GP? How are practices meant to stay open if they can’t cover their costs? And why are Australians being offered temporary patches instead of proper, indexed rebates?
Index the rebates, fund urgent care in general practice, and stop cost-shifting to hospitals.
Here is the basic truth politicians keep blurring: the Medicare rebate is the patient’s benefit. It is not the practice fee, and for many it does not cover the full cost of running a practice, including staff wages (GPs, nurses and reception), rent, power, phones, IT, clinical overheads, and compliance.
In very simple terms:
Medicare pays a set contribution to the patient to help meet the cost of seeing a doctor.
- A clinic can choose to accept that Medicare benefit as full payment (that is bulk billing).
- Or a clinic can charge a fee, with the rebate reducing the out-of-pocket cost for the patient.
- The gap is simply the part Medicare doesn’t fund.
- Those gaps grow when rebates fail to keep pace with the cost of delivering care.
- When rebates don’t keep up with the real cost of delivering care, “bulk bill everyone” becomes a slogan, not a sustainable policy.
AMA Tasmania Vice President Dr Meg Creely, a working GP, said: “Our members feel like political pawns. We want our patients to be able to afford care, but a practice can’t keep the lights on if the rebate doesn’t cover the cost of delivering safe, quality care. We would all bulk bill if it covered costs, and if we were confident, it was properly indexed.”
Former AMA Tasmania President and GP Dr John Saul added that clinics have been trying for years to make the funding model work for their communities, but without proper indexation the numbers simply do not add up.
In Tasmania, this kind of blame game makes a difficult situation worse. It undermines trust in local practices, makes it harder to recruit and retain GPs, and delays access to care for patients who need longer consultations and ongoing management.
Dr Michael Lumsden-Steel warned: “In Tasmania, blame games drive doctors away and patients miss out. That’s not reform; it’s negligence.”
AMA Tasmania is calling on the federal government to stop the stunts and do the hard work: properly index Medicare rebates.
Until that happens, “name and shame” isn’t leadership. It’s a cop-out.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing & Sam Rae, Federal Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, 24 April 2026
West Coast District Hospital Upgrade – Stage 2 Construction Tenders Invited
An important milestone has been reached in the delivery of critical health infrastructure upgrades to provide additional aged care beds at the West Coast District Hospital in Queenstown.
Tenders are now open for Stage 2 of the West Coast District Hospital Upgrade, following development approval by West Coast Council.
The Australian Government has committed $5,741,000 through the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Aged Care Capital Assistance Program to deliver the upgrades.
Stage 2 works include the delivery of four additional aged care bedrooms with ensuites, a new day area and lounge, and associated supporting spaces.
The addition of new aged care rooms will enhance access to high-quality aged care at Lyell House, allowing more people to remain within their local community close to their support networks.
Construction is due to start in mid-2026 and is expected to take 12 months to complete.
Stage 1 of the West Coast District Hospital redevelopment opened in December 2024, jointly funded by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments and providing an additional aged care bed as well as improvements to the Emergency Department.
Media Release – Bridget Archer, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 26 April 2026
Delivering Free GP Appointments for Northern Tasmania
The Tasmanian Government is delivering more bulk-billed healthcare services for Tasmanians, with the first TassieDoc clinic announced today.
The Deloraine and Westbury Medical Centres will boost access to bulk-billing appointments, following a comprehensive Expression of Interest (EOI) process.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Bridget Archer said we are delivering more access to GP services for communities in Deloraine, Westbury and surrounding areas.
“While primary healthcare is a Commonwealth responsibility, the Tasmanian Liberal Government has continually stepped in to deliver timely, affordable care for Tasmanians in their local communities,” Minister Archer said.
“The investment in medical centre infrastructure will support these fantastic general practice teams to boost their existing bulk-billing service capacity and improve access to primary healthcare for communities in this region.”
Existing premises will be upgraded and expanded, with two additional patient consultation rooms in Deloraine and one additional consultation room in Westbury.
The redeveloped facilities will support workforce growth and enable delivery of up to 20,000 additional bulk billed appointments per year across the two sites.
Minister Archer said the Government is delivering for Tasmania through initiatives like this that are making it easier for Tasmanians to access affordable care, closer to home.
“Our commitment will help Tasmanians get the right care at the right time, which will not only boost access to affordable health care, but also relieve pressure on our Emergency Departments,” Minister Archer said.
Submissions were assessed by an expert panel against established criteria, including clinical capability, service sustainability and demonstrated community need.
Further announcements across the State will be made in the coming weeks.
Media Release – Sarah Lovell MLC, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing & Abby McKibben, Labor Candidate for Huon, 26 April 2026
Huon Health Precinct Clarity Needed
With a lack of access to healthcare one of the biggest issues in the region, Labor is calling for clarity about the status of the promised $15 million Medical Precinct for the Huon Valley.
The Liberals originally promised to work with the local community and existing local health services “to determine the best site for the new precinct” in their first 100 days of Government.
More than six months on, and the community is none-the-wiser about where the site will be, what the final service will look like, when it will be built, or if it will be built at all.
The Liberals even changed the wording in their “100 days delivery report” to remove any reference of determining a site at all.
Can Minister for Health Bridget Archer update the Huon community about the status of this project, and where it will be built?
And can she guarantee funding for it will be in next month’s State Budget?
Media Release – Sarah Lovell MLC, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing & Abby McKibben, Labor Candidate for Huon, 27 April 2026
Liberals’ Huon Health Promise Unravels as TassieDoc Farce Exposed
The Liberals promised the Huon Valley a $15 million, purpose-built Medical Precinct with bulk-billing GPs, after-hours care, and a mental health hub. They announced it would be the first TassieDoc clinic, and they said they would determine a site within their first 100 days.
Six months later, that promise is shattered.
Not only is the Health Minister unable to identify a site, timeframe, or delivery plan, but she has now confirmed that the first TassieDoc will actually be in Deloraine.
After desperately promising to match Labor’s policy at the election, the Liberals are already walking away from it.
Instead of delivering new, government-run clinics to guarantee bulk-billed care, the Liberals are handing out grants to private providers and hoping for the best.
That’s not what Tasmanians were promised.
Tasmanians were promised real investment, real clinics, and real access to free healthcare. What they are getting instead is confusion, delay, and a watered-down policy that won’t deliver access to the free healthcare Tasmanians need.