Our record Health Budget provides more than $7 billion for health services, and includes new funding for Ambulance Tasmania. Unlike Labor, who looked to bring in an ambulance levy and make Tasmanians foot the bill for vital services, we have put the Budget on a sustainable footing so we can invest more in our ambulance service.
This morning I can announce that we will fully staff two new 24-hour ambulance crews, one in Launceston and one in greater Hobart, as well as better staff our existing rosters.
This is an early finding of the Government’s review into ambulance services.
The review will still be released in coming weeks, but after talking with staff and stakeholders yesterday, I decided that it was important to end the speculation around our plans to resource our paramedics in the face of growing demand.
As the Government announced yesterday, paramedic recruitment will begin immediately for this important initiative which will put downward pressure on response times.
