Tasmanian health leaders have issued a plea for a new Hobart hospital, warning that current upgrade plans will leave the Royal Hobart Hospital unable to meet future demand.
The Australian Medical Association and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation say the state government’s 30-year master plan for the existing site won’t solve chronic overcrowding and patient flow issues plaguing the hospital.
The AMA wants a new hospital built on a greenfield site by 2035 and current expansion plans paused.
“We don’t have the infrastructure with the capacity to meet demand,” AMA Tasmania President Dr Michael Lumsden-Steel.
“To build a new hospital with the current inflation costs is going to need a five to seven year runway before we start building,” they said.
The group says planned renovations will leave the hospital “still not going to be fit for purpose”, with particular concern about the proposed emergency department spread across three floors.
“If you speak to anyone that works at the Royal Hobart Hospital, they’re pretty much fed up with the process of playing Tetris around a hospital,” the AMA said.
The ANMF says it’s open to exploring a new hospital while wanting ongoing upgrades completed.
“We’re still experiencing issues around bed block and access and flow,” ANMF State Secretary Emily Shepherd said.
Labor says it wants to hear more about the proposal.
“I’m really keen to hear more from the AMA on their idea and to look at some of those ideas, but what we need is some leadership from the government,” Shadow Health Minister Sarah Lovell said.
The Greens have backed calls for immediate planning, arguing the existing site lacks sufficient space.
“We must stop kicking the can down the road and get on with planning for this essential project,” Greens health spokesperson Cecily Rosol said.
But Health Minister Bridget Archer is standing firm on the government’s plan.
“The Tasmanian government is delivering significant infrastructure upgrades as part of the Royal Hobart Hospital Masterplan, which sets out a 30-year vision for the hospital and accommodate forecast demand into the future,” she said.
She says the government has already invested $520 million in upgrades at the Royal Hobart Hospital, including expanding the emergency department, with another $187 million committed.
