The Hodgman Liberal Government is delivering on our commitment to establish Tasmania’s first integrated medical and search and rescue helicopter service.

The construction tender for the new $1.5 million helipad at the Mersey Community Hospital is advertised in today’s paper.

The helipad will be located on site with a bridge link directly to the hospital.

For residents of the North-West, and most regional locations around Australia, aeromedical paramedic teams in helicopters are often the fastest means to provide emergency services.

This means every second counts, so this project is key infrastructure in the creation of a fast, high-acuity helicopter aeromedical retrieval network in Tasmania.

In the past, aeromedical teams arriving at the hospital to retrieve patients have had to land on a roundabout on the Bass Highway. This not only caused major traffic disruption but also raised serious safety issues at this busy location.

Construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks, once the tender is awarded.

The helipad at the North West Regional Hospital has been used 17 times since being commissioned. This should reassure the community that our plan to improve local health services is working and is helping save lives on the Coast.

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to delivering the state’s first ever dedicated medical and search helicopter service, which will have dedicated flight paramedics and specialist retrieval doctors.

The construction of the helipad is a key step towards the establishment of Tasmania’s first integrated medical and search and rescue helicopter service.

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