The Tasmanian Government has unveiled an “ambitious” $1.4 billion, 20-year plan to transform healthcare in the north-west and meet the growing demands of the region’s ageing population.
The North West Hospitals Masterplan aims to ensure both the North West Regional Hospital (NWRH) in Burnie and the Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) in Latrobe have the capacity and capability to support the increasing demands on the health system in the coming years.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the upgrades are about securing the best possible health outcomes for the area.
“As a government, we understand the need to invest in not just the healthcare infrastructure we need today, but into the future,” he said.
Health Minister Guy Barnett said the plan has been informed by clinical services and facility planning with key stakeholders.
“And what we know about future demand, service growth, infrastructure condition alongside community consultation,” he said.
“This is an investment in the health of the north-west and we will work with the Federal Government to secure a funding partnership for these critical projects, just as they have invested in other states.”
Under the plan, the NWRH will continue to be the main provider of acute general hospital services across the region, while the Mersey will focus on providing inpatient and outreach subacute services, emergency care and day surgery services to the local population.
The first stage of the plan at the NWRH includes a new medical inpatient building, a mental health precinct, 630 additional car parks and improvements to the emergency department entry.
The current outpatients and theatres project at the Mersey Community Hospital will also continue as part of the plan.
The masterplan has identified that the existing Parkside Precinct at Burnie will “not meet requirements” in the longer term and a strategy is being developed to support the staged relocation of services and staff away from the site.
