A new breast care centre combining screening and diagnostic services under one roof will open at the Royal Hobart Hospital in April next year, the state government has confirmed.
The $15 million facility, located at the hospital’s Liverpool Clinics, will bring together BreastScreen Tasmania and a new public diagnostic breast imaging service.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said the centre aims to cut waiting times and reduce out-of-pocket costs for women across the state.
“It’s part of our ongoing commitment to Tasmanian women to make breast screening more affordable and more accessible to patients from right across the state,” she said.
The hub will feature advanced contrast imaging technology that can detect cancers hidden in dense breast tissue, which are often harder to identify through standard screening.
Deputy Secretary for Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Jennifer Duncan said the new diagnostic service would, for the first time, accept direct GP referrals.
“This will increase our capacity to work through the services that we provide and ensure that we’re addressing our waiting lists and increasing our ability to see more [women],” she said.
Two additional screening machines will further expand capacity, with the facility designed to include separate zones for screening and diagnostic services.
Duncan said the hub’s layout was created with patient comfort front of mind.
“We’re trying to design the hub in a way that enables a comfortable, calm environment for the women to feel relaxed,” she said.
The centre will also house Tasmania’s bowel and cervical cancer screening programs, creating a comprehensive population screening hub under one roof.
Construction is already under way, with completion scheduled for March 2026.
The facility is expected to open the following month, once existing services relocate from the Argyle Street and Collins Street sites.
Duncan said earlier staffing concerns had been addressed, with a phased approach planned to ensure the centre reaches full capacity when it opens.
“We have a planned approach to increase our staffing available to address the services,” she said.
