A Labor Government will improve access to community health services across the state, ensuring people can receive preventative health screening and care closer to home.
Labor will do this by expanding resources at 23 community health centres, employing additional nurses to provide free health checks and more community nursing visits.
This initiative focuses on preventative health and chronic disease management across our communities, especially at a time when many are financially constrained due to the cost of living crisis.
These measures will ensure that potential chronic illness or disease can be caught earlier, allow palliative care patients to return home sooner and remove pressure from our public hospital system.
The free community health checks available will include:
- A general health check for Tasmanians aged 40 to 75 years old to check on precursors to chronic illness.
- A teenager check focusing on mental health and healthy lifestyle.
- A pre-school check focusing on behaviour and any risk of learning disability.
A Labor Government will also immediately review all community nursing positions, including Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS) positions, to ensure salary and conditions are competitive with other states.
This $4.4 million announcement is in addition to Labor’s Regional Health Policy to expand six regional ambulance stations with an additional 21 new permanent paramedics, invest in staff and services at 18 district hospitals and employ 215 extra health care workers including rural generalists, nurse practitioners, nurses, and allied health professionals.
We know that our workers are the backbone of the health system and that is why we will support our healthcare workers by paying the HECS-HELP debt of 150 workers who commit to regional Tasmania for three years.
The Liberals have had 10 years to address the failings of the health system but in this time all they have done is make our health crisis worse. Tasmanians can’t afford to give them 14.
Labor has a common-sense plan to start repairing our health system and give Tasmanians the care they deserve when they need it the most.
It’s time for a better future and a Labor Government.
Fast facts: Labor’s Regional Health Plan
- Resource 23 Community Health Centres across Tasmania with 46 extra nurses
- Provide additional palliative care community nursing, allowing more patients to stay at home or be discharged early from hospital.
- Fund more home visits for patients.
- Provide free health checks with community nurses for eligible Tasmanians.
- Create a $60 million local hospital upgrade fund
- Employ 215 additional health professionals
- Upgrade 6 regional ambulance stations to 24/7 coverage, with 21 new paramedics
- Pay the HECS-HELP debt of 150 health professionals as an incentive for the key workers we need
- Expand the Rural Medical Workforce Centre at the Mersey Community Hospital to train more health workers
Rebecca White MP
Anita Dow MP