Continuing to improve Tasmania’s health system will be a major focus of the Hodgman Liberal Government this year.

Since coming to office, we have made major improvements to our health system, with a record $6.4 billion spend over four years, and which has seen elective surgery waiting lists driven to record lows.

But we know that there is still a long way to go to deliver the health system Tasmanians deserve.

A key part of our plan for health is the Community Rapid Response Service, which has hit the ground running since it rolled out in May, with more than 2000 appointments and other services delivered, and is being rolled out to 33 practices across the greater Launceston area.

This has helped alleviate pressure on the Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department and has provided enhanced patient outcomes.

Since the Community Rapid Response Service began operation at the Newstead, Summerdale and Launceston medical centres, the CRRS has provided 2312 appointments for clinical nursing care and other services provided.

Of these, 230 were referrals from 33 individual GP practices and a total of 63 GPs.

The service acts to reduce the visitation to the ED by patients with acute injury/illness or exacerbated pre-existing chronic and/or complex conditions that would normally be dealt with by their GP but in the patient’s home, community or where best suits them.

It operates on a shared care model between the Community Rapid Response Service team, which is made up of a nurse practitioners, community nurses, health care assistants and allied health services as required, and GPs.

The service is the Government’s $3 million election commitment to keep people with chronic and complex illness our of hospital by providing them with the necessary, quality care and is part of our One State, One Health System, Better Outcomes reforms.

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