Tassie’s health system overhaul

A $325 million emergency rescue package for Tasmania’s ailing health system was announced last week by federal Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek.

She claimed the federal government was taking urgent steps to “head off a crisis” caused by Tasmania’s older population, higher rates of chronic disease and state health system constraints.

“During my recent trips to Tasmania, frontline clinicians have told me the state’s health system was struggling and urgent action was required to get it back on track,” Ms Plibersek said.

“In consultation with my Tasmanian Parliamentary Labor colleagues and the Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, the government has come up with an emergency rescue package we believe will address the unique challenges faced by the state.”

The federal government’s actions would reportedly ease immediate pressures and equip Tasmania’s health system to meet future challenges through the following investments:

• $31.2 million over four years for an elective surgery blitz providing about 2,600 additional surgeries targeted at areas where there are large numbers of patients whose surgery is overdue, such as orthopaedic and cataract surgery;
• About $22 million to establish Walk-in Clinics in Hobart and Launceston that provide care for minor illnesses and injuries, for extended hours and at no charge to patients;
• $48.7 million over four years to support better care in the community to prevent and manage chronic disease through the Tasmanian Medicare Local. Individual GPs will continue to have central responsibility for the clinical care of their patients, with the Tasmanian Medicare Local supporting allied and preventive health services and the coordination of care;
• $74.5 million over four years to provide better care for patients when they are discharged from hospital and better palliative care in the community;
• $53.9 million over four years to train more medical specialists in Tasmania and provide more scholarships for nurses and allied health professionals;
• $15.4 million over four years to address gaps in mental health services;
• $36.8 million over four years to roll out the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record in Tasmania’s hospitals and enable allied health, pathology and diagnostic imaging services to connect to eHealth.

In consultations with Ms Plibersek, frontline health professionals reportedly emphasised how electronic health records would reduce errors and duplication and improve the efficiency of their work.

“These investments respond to the ideas that frontline clinicians have told me will be the best ways to tend to Tasmania’s health system,” she said.

The investments would also reportedly better position Tasmania to meet the goals and targets of National Health Reform.

According to Ms Plibersek, the Tasmanian government will, as a result, need to at least maintain its current effort in health, before receiving any funding for particular initiatives under this package and report monthly on how it spends any of the funding it receives for components of the package it delivers, and what services it provides.

In addition, a Commission on Tasmanian Government Delivery of Health Services will be established, led by appropriate independent experts, to examine how the Tasmanian Government is delivering health services and whether they are being provided as effectively and efficiently as possible.