The expected sale of Hobart Private Hospital to Catholic provider Calvary could leave Tasmanians without access to essential women’s and LGBTQIA+ healthcare, Labor has warned.
The state government insists it will ensure no gaps. A decision on the sale is expected around the end of next week.
Calvary would then run every private overnight hospital in Hobart and Launceston.
Burnie’s North West Private, owned by HealtheCare, would remain under separate ownership.
As a Catholic operator, Calvary does not provide some services currently offered at Hobart Private, including termination of pregnancy and gender-affirming surgeries.
Labor MLC and shadow health minister Sarah Lovell said the sale looked likely to proceed because the alternative was closure and that this left Labor worried about a gap in care.
“Some reproductive health services, some women’s health services including termination of pregnancy and gender-affirming surgeries,” she said.
Lovell said service providers had told her the government’s proposed solutions fell short.
“What I’m hearing from service providers is that the solutions they’re putting on the table are not optimal, are far from optimal and will not cover the gaps,” she said.
She said Tasmanians deserved to know the government’s plan before the decision was made.
“Women should not have to fight for this access to this critical health procedure, but unfortunately in Tasmania this has been a fight that’s been going on for far too long,” she said.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said the government had “repeatedly said we will ensure there is no service gap for vulnerable Tasmanians”.
“Some services are already resolved, such as the provision of IVF and we continue to work through details for the rest,” she said.
Archer said Labor needed to explain why it would “intentionally stir up angst in vulnerable communities” when a firm commitment was already in place.
During a budget estimates hearing in June, Department of Health secretary Dale Webster said the minister’s direction was that “there is to be no service gap” if Calvary took over.
He said the department had been working with the sector to fill potential gaps, pointing to Nexus making space at its day surgery for IVF.
The goal, he said, was to have replacement services in place or announced the same day Calvary revealed its plans.
The sale is still awaiting consideration from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
