Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Health
I'd like to thank and acknowledge Ambulance Tasmania Chief Executive Joe Acker, who is taking a bold and proactive approach to supporting the health and welfare of employees.
Thank you also to our valued Ambulance Tasmania staff, who do an extremely important job, often in challenging circumstances.
The Health Department's greatest asset is its staff and I want it to be a workplace of choice, where everyone feels valued and supported.
A resilience scan conducted by Ambulance Tasmania has shown areas of concern, but importantly, this information is vital to better support staff and deliver a high quality service to Tasmanians.
An important part of feeling valued is being given the opportunity to have a voice, and now that we have the results of the survey, Joe and Ambulance Tasmania have my full support to implement the changes needed to improve the workplace.
There is a big task ahead, but there is a strength in working together, and through a united effort, we can and will deliver better healthcare for all Tasmanians.
Improving workplace culture in our hospitals is already a major focus of the Government, and it is also a priority across our health system, including Ambulance Tasmania.
By improving staff satisfaction and engagement, we are much more likely to retain and attract staff.
To enable us to meet growing workforce needs, the Tasmanian Government is providing $15.7 million to support the implementation of Health Workforce 2040. To improve the current workplace environment so the Health Department is considered a workplace of choice, we are also providing a $5 million boost.
The 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget also includes an additional $1.5 million for the health and wellbeing of emergency service workers and volunteers, taking our total funding to $3 million per annum. This additional funding will allow for additional services, including psychologists and counselling, and ensure our staff and volunteers are able to receive the support they need from the Health and wellbeing Program.
We know there is more to do, and our Government is committed to working with and supporting Ambulance Tasmania to take the actions needed to improve the workplace for all employees.
