Heating and cooling upgrades at the Launceston General Hospital will soon see its rehabilitation ward temporarily relocated to make way for major construction work.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said an agreement has been signed to move the hospital’s rehabilitation ward to the Calvary St Luke’s campus.
The relocation will free up space for other wards to operate while HVAC works continue floor by floor through D Block.
“We are getting on with the job of fixing these longstanding heating and cooling issues,” Archer said.
Work began in June on the obstetrics ward, with the first eight upgraded patient rooms expected to open in November.
The remaining patient rooms are scheduled for completion by mid-2026.
Internal works in D Block will start on October 21, beginning with Ward 6D, which is expected to be finished by February 2026.
“Delivering these types of critical system upgrades within a working hospital is a highly complex task,” Archer said.
Labor’s shadow health minister Sarah Lovell said the heating and cooling problems first surfaced last summer and should have been fixed months ago.
“Patients and staff deserve comfort and safety at work and in care, not another round of excuses from a Liberal government that has had 11 years to address the issues in Tasmania’s health system,” she said.
In the meantime, the hospital has installed sun-blocking blinds and replaced window tinting and seals.
Portable air-conditioning units will continue to be used as needed.
