A comprehensive health hub a decade in the making is set to transform healthcare in Tasmania’s north-west, with construction expected to get underway within six months.
The new facility, to be built in Latrobe opposite the Mersey Community Hospital, is hoped to open its doors by 2027.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced on Monday a $6 million no-interest loan to help get the project off the ground, if his Liberal government is re-elected.
“We want to work with the providers and the investors to ensure that we’re filling the gap,” he said.
“The investment of an interest component rather than a grant is a lot less expense for the Tasmanian taxpayer.”
Health Nexus, the organisation behind the plan, hopes to offer a wide range of medical services through the new hub.
It will include 12 GP rooms, allied health and rehab services, an urgent care bay, a dedicated teaching space and 20 units for seniors.
Medical director Dr Arsalan Mahmud, known as Dr Sam, believes the hub will tackle longstanding problems with healthcare access in the region.
“The community has been looking for better health services for a very long time,” he said.
“This project has been in development for the last decade. Finally, we are thankful for the assistance in bringing this to life.”
Once up and running, the facility is expected to employ up to 40 staff and provide around 25,000 bulk-billed appointments each year.
Dr Sam also sees huge potential for better specialist services, something Tasmania still struggles with compared to the mainland.
“One of the things that we strongly feel about is that the specialist access to Tasmania as a whole, especially towards the north and north-west is not as significant as it is for the mainland,” he said.
The hub will also double as a training ground for new GPs, with partnerships between the public and private healthcare sectors.
Construction could start within six months, pending council approvals.
Dr Sam is also hopeful Labor will match the Liberals’ commitment to the project.
