The final stage of a long-running project to install air conditioning at the Launceston General Hospital is set to begin, following years of complaints about the sweltering conditions on the hospital’s ageing wards.
The hospital was built in the 1980s and its stroke and medical wards were left without air conditioning.
Room fans were also removed during the COVID-19 pandemic as an infection control measure.
Since works began in June 2025, ducted heating and air conditioning has been installed in 68 patient rooms across Wards 4O, 6D, 5D and 3D.
Patients have now been moved out of Ward 4D and the Northern Coronary Care Unit so the final works can be done.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said the new systems were already making a difference.
“The new heating and cooling systems are providing immediate benefits in completed areas, helping to ensure patients and visitors at the LGH have a safe and comfortable experience,” she said.
The upgrade follows sustained public pressure.
In January 2025, hundreds of patients, families and staff described “horrific” and “inhumane” conditions on the hot wards, where temperatures reached close to 30 degrees.
Patients were handed cold face washers and icy poles to help them cope.
The nursing union had been calling for air conditioning since 2018, when it secured $2 million for upgrades.
It was told at the time there was not enough space for ducts.
Archer said delivering the works inside a working hospital was complex and thanked patients, visitors and staff for their patience.
All upgrades are expected to be finished by early 2027.
