The Labor Party has responded with a media release that same day suggesting that it would not support this unsolicited submission by Calvary and, if re-elected, would call for expressions of interest by other providers. The implication is that accepting Calvary’s submission clouds transparency.

Whilst the medical community supports the objectives expressed by the Labor media release, our concern is that Labor’s approach will further delay the introduction of co-location and the much needed improvement of services to privately insured patients, especially access to casualty, intensive care and maternity services.

The authors and our colleagues, especially the medical advisory committee, for the private hospitals in Launceston, have canvassed the concept of a co-located health precinct for more than 20 years, encountering restraints of policy and funding by both political parties.

The committee includes surgeons and physicians who also work at the LGH and are at the coalface with an understanding of what is required to bring our medical services up to standard and what attracts high quality clinicians to Launceston. The AMA has also supported our push for co-location.

Both sides of politics and members of the Health Department have been consulted and invited to be part of the process.

Calvary has responded with a commitment to invest more than $100 million into our community, providing improved healthcare and much needed local employment. 

There is also the potential to develop the current St Luke’s and St Vincent’s campuses into other community facilities, including psychiatric, aged care, and student accommodation for the University of Tasmania.

Our concern is that Labor’s media response proposes $250,000 for development of a masterplan and a call for expressions of interest. This is progress in reverse, especially when a major private health organisation has already presented a funding commitment with a sound proposal, including building plans.

Calvary has already demonstrated a commitment to our community with recent developments, including a dedicated endoscopy facility, a new coronary care unit, palliative and psychiatric services which the North, unlike the South, have to date had limited access to.

In addition, Calvary participates in the education of medical and nursing students and this will be further enhanced by the co-location to a precinct that already encompasses the medical school and our acknowledged Clifford Craig Medical Foundation.

The current government has been supportive but appropriately has remained independent. We would hope the Labor Party does not taint the progress made with political bias. The wheel is turning and does not have to be reinvented, and our hope is that this needed proposal is not lost in further committees, reports, red tape and inevitable inaction. The health of our community is at stake.