The Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department entrance has moved to Argyle Street, near the corner of Liverpool Street.
The change comes as work begins on the next stage of the Tasmanian government’s $130 million emergency department expansion.
All patients and visitors must now access the emergency department through the Argyle Street entrance.
Public access via Liverpool or Campbell Street is no longer available.
Argyle Street has been reduced to two lanes between Collins and Liverpool Streets.
The right-hand lane is reserved for ambulances and the adjacent footpath is partially closed to support safe ambulance access.
A dedicated ambulance zone and public drop-off area are now in place outside the entrance.
Patients arriving by car are encouraged to follow signs to the Argyle Street entrance and use the public drop-off zone.
Public vehicle access to Hobart Private Hospital will not change.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said the hospital would remain open and fully operational while the upgrades are underway.
“Once complete, the expanded ED will provide 120 treatment points, helping patients receive faster, more efficient treatment and improving patient flow through the hospital,” Archer said.
“This significant expansion will also deliver a more contemporary, fit-for-purpose environment for our dedicated healthcare staff.”
Archer said the relocation would improve access and safety around the hospital.
Shadow Health Minister Sarah Lovell said the move presented a challenge for patients and for a workforce already under pressure.
Lovell said the redevelopment would spread the department across three floors, which staff had repeatedly raised concerns about.
She said the government’s response during budget estimates was that staff would have a dedicated lift to move between floors.
“But obviously, in an emergency department, people need to be able to respond very quickly,” Lovell said.
Lovell said ambulance ramping remained a significant problem despite a government commitment to ban it.
She said only about half of patients arriving by ambulance were transferred within the transfer of care timeframe over the past week.
Lovell also said questions remained about where ramped ambulances would wait given limited parking on Argyle Street.
In response, Archer said Labor had not committed any funding to upgrading major hospitals at the last election.
“Only Labor could complain the Royal Hobart Hospital is getting a $130 million emergency department expansion,” Archer said.
“Labor complains about hospital performance and then complain we are expanding the ED.”
Archer said Labor had complained about the Budget while voting against measures to improve it.
“They are officially all sook and no solution,” she said.
Anyone requiring emergency care should follow signs to the Argyle Street entrance or call Triple Zero in an emergency.
