Dozens of union activists are protesting outside of the Hobart Executive Building, calling on the State Government to ensure Tasmania doesn’t lose the 39 mental health beds when St Helens Private Hospital closes in June.
They are demanding more is done to support vulnerable Tasmanians who will be affected by the hospital’s closure.
“The private owner of St Helen’s has simply walked away from the community despite being paid tens of millions in public money to operate a hospital on our behalf,” the Health & Community Services Union said in a statement.
“Whilst the Tasmanian government has the power to save these vital services and return them to public hands, they have so far refused to commit to taking them over and running them in the public system.”
