Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Health
More than 50 additional hospital beds will be opened across the state to meet an expected increase in seasonal demand and to support our elective surgery blitz. These beds will start coming online this month, in a staged approach to ensure they can be appropriately staffed.
As part of the Tasmanian Government's winter health planning, these beds will be supported by additional staff and other service improvements to ensure Tasmanians receive the very best in healthcare should they need to visit hospital.
Importantly, due to increasing hospital demand, these additional beds will become a permanent addition to Tasmania's hospital system.
We know hospital demand is increasing across Australia since COVID-19, and the challenges posed by this increase to all states and territories is being discussed at National Cabinet.
But in terms of our own local response, the winter rollout of additional beds will help support Tasmanians as they enter our hospital system.
Measures at the Royal Hobart Hospital include:
- An increase to 23 general medical beds on ward 2A;
- An additional 24 beds (19 surgical and five medical) on ward 6A to form a new Trauma and Acute Surgical Unit;
- Four additional medical beds for the Older Persons Unit;
- Four additional beds for a Paediatric Short Stay Unit; and
- The six bed Mental Health Short Stay Unit has also been extended to a 24/7 operation to help support increasing demand.
Measures at the Launceston General Hospital include:
- The opening of a new 28-bed medical ward on ward 3D;
- The hospital's 23 existing Short Stay Surgical Unit beds to be opened seven days with overnight beds increased from eight to 12 to support additional elective surgery; and
- Completion of the new Paediatric Unit on ward 4K, which adds an additional 13 beds to existing paediatric and adolescent bed capacity.
Measures at the North West Regional Hospital include:
- Creation of a standalone infectious disease ward independent of the medical ward freeing up a further six beds on the medical ward.
Management and staff are already working on strategies to have these measures implemented in the coming months. In all instances, new beds will be open when staffing levels allow, and recruitment efforts are underway.
These initiatives are to support increasing demand. Not only will they ensure better care for patients through improved patient flow, taking pressure off emergency departments, they will also support our hardworking and dedicated staff.
