A re-elected majority Liberal Government will build a better health system as part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future.

Minister for Health, Guy Barnett, said Tasmania’s health system has come a long way over the past decade completing new state-of-the-art builds at all major hospitals.

“But we know we need to do more to ensure our hospitals are as good as they possibly can be, which is why we are embarking on the most significant health infrastructure agenda in Tasmania’s history,” Minister Barnett said.

“Hospital equipment is just as important as bricks and mortar which is why I am pleased to announce that a re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government will create a new, $40 million hospital medical equipment fund.

“The new hospital equipment fund will be available for the purchase of hospital equipment such as endoscopes, ventilators, monitors for general wards and ultrasounds.

“We will engage closely with our clinicians to determine the most appropriate allocations of these funds.”

Minister Barnett said that the Liberals will also invest in virtual infrastructure across all of our district hospitals over the next 12 months so that patients in our district hospitals have direct and immediate access to the specialist expertise of our major hospitals.

“This includes infrastructure such as video conferencing technology.”

Mr Barnett said that the new $40 million hospital equipment fund comes on top the Liberals’ suite of upgrades to public hospitals and health infrastructure around the state, including:

• Keep rebuilding the Royal Hobart Hospital, with $187 million over six years in new and fit-for-purpose health facilities;
• Fund an $82.6 million Mental Health Complex at St John's Park Health and Wellbeing Precinct;
• Keep redeveloping the Launceston General Hospital, including $53.5 million to double the size of the Emergency Department;
• $10 million for Stage 1 of the new Cancer Wellness Centre, opposite the Royal Hobart Hospital;
• A new $15 million Public Diagnostic Breast Care Centre in Hobart;
• A $4.7 million cutting edge surgical robot to deliver more help to Tasmanian women suffering with endometriosis;
• Build a brand new $120 million Northern Heart Centre for best practice coronary care for the North and North-West;
• Build the first stage of the $174.8 million North-West Hospitals master plan, upgrading hospitals in Burnie and Latrobe;
• Secure a new base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service;
• Partner with the Launceston Health Hub in a new Private Hospital;
• Building four new Ambulance Stations at Legana, Snug, Cygnet and King Island.

“Our 2030 Strong Plan will make Tasmania’ health system better, because it really is the most important thing we can do for Tasmanians.”