Almost three years on from putting an unsolicited bid to the state government, Calvary Healthcare's proposal to build a co-located private hospital in Launceston remains under assessment.
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In June Calvary Launceston general manager Grant Musgrave confirmed the timeline for the $100 million bid, first announced in December 2017, was under revision due to the impacts of COVID-19.
Now, noting delays caused by the pandemic, a spokesperson for the Office of the Coordinator General said it was continuing to work with Calvary and the Health Department on the proposal.
"While a development like this involves a very detailed and complex process which can't be rushed, it is progressing well and will provide important additional healthcare capacity in the north of the state," the spokesperson said.
"The government has undertaken significant work with Calvary in relation to Clinical Services Planning and the potential cooperation and delivery of services between the public and private hospitals.
"While COVID-19 delayed this work, joint work has since been completed and the outcomes will be used by Calvary to inform its final detailed bid."
In other news:
The bid remains in stage two of the assessment process, with a detailed submission yet to be provided to Cabinet for approval.
Meanwhile, a draft masterplan aimed at setting out the next 50 years of health service delivery in Northern Tasmania is expected to be completed next month.
Work on the Launceston General Hospital masterplan - which will include how a co-located private hospital could compliment the LGH - recommenced in late August.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the Northern Reference Group had met several times to undertake further clinical service planning analysis and consider of the future facilities needs of the hospital.
"It is expected that an advanced draft of the LGH Masterplan will be completed in December, which will be informed by the clinical services planning," she said.
"There will then be further public consultation in early 2021, to ensure that the Masterplan is aligned with the vision and feedback provided by the community."
The $87 million redevelopment of the LGH remains ongoing, with stage two of the Ward 4K precinct recently completed.
Ms Courtney said $5 million car park works, adding new levels, were also recently completed.
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Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
