Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Health
The Tasmanian Government is committed to ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Today, I have released the submissions received through the initial consultation phase of Our Healthcare Future, together with a report summarising the major themes to emerge and a summary of progress against the immediate actions.
The submissions express support for the key areas identified in Our Healthcare Future, specifically acknowledging support to strengthen care in the community where possible and appropriate, and a greater emphasis on preventative health. These are critical areas of investment that are being prioritised and are reflected in our recent election commitments.
The need for digital transformation, long-term infrastructure, and workforce planning to improve access to services and support new models of care are also common themes that are again reflected in funding commitments made at the State election, or work that is already being progressed. The importance of consumers and health professionals being involved in health planning is also recognised.
Other themes to emerge include the opportunity to better use District Hospitals and expansion of Community Rapid Response and Hospital in the Home services to support better community care.
This is consistent with the Tasmanian Liberal Government's commitment of $52 million to support in-home and local community health services, and our $8.4 million boost for rural hospital staffing and equipment.
I would like to thank everyone who took the time to make a submission to Our Healthcare Future. This information will be invaluable in helping us to develop a new long-term plan for healthcare in Tasmania.
We will continue to consult with stakeholders and establish an Expert Advisory Group to guide our next steps.
Our long-term plan for health care in Tasmania will be co-designed so it includes the voices of both clinicians and patients. It will be evidence-based and include state-wide clinical services planning and detailed modelling of Tasmanians' current and future health needs. We will also continue to implement actions set out in the Our Healthcare Future Immediate Actions and Consultation Paper.
Submissions and the Emerging Themes summary and full report are available at: www.health.tas.gov.au/ourhealthcarefuture
