Further funding for patient transport upgrades will ensure that Tasmanians receive treatment wherever they can get the best possible outcome.
Under the Hodgman Liberal Government the State is now heading in the right direction. Today’s budget is all about building on the momentum as we fix a broken health system so we can get better health outcomes for Tasmanians.
A $10 million investment in transport infrastructure means the new investment in patient transport by the Hodgman Liberal Government in today’s State Budget totals $24 million.
We announced earlier this month that there would be an additional $14 million over four years in operational funding for the State’s patient transport system to address existing service gaps and ensure Tasmanians get the full benefits of the One Health System reforms.
The additional $10 million in 2016-17 and 2017-18 for capital upgrades will allow significant improvements to patient transport and coordination through upgrading infrastructure and equipment that gets patients to where they need to be for treatment.
The priorities for this capital expenditure will be determined through ongoing consultation with stakeholders and service providers as part of the finalisation of the One Health System reforms.
The One Health System reforms are all about ensuring Tasmanians have equal access to high quality clinical services, with our major hospitals delivering services that they are best equipped to deliver safely, for all Tasmanians.
As previously announced, $14 million will be available to improve emergency patient transport, streamline transport between hospitals and health facilities, provide transport for people to access non-urgent medical appointments, as well as boost the financial support for private travel and accommodation required to access health care.
The Government’s additional investments in health show the benefits of maintaining fiscal discipline so that we can afford to invest in better outcomes in essential services like health, education and public safety.
With the addition of a range of new specialist services at the Mersey Community and North West Regional Hospitals and the North-West Regional Cancer Centre, we are expecting up to 8500 fewer patient trips from the North-West to Launceston and Hobart for treatment each year.
