A commitment to improving infrastructure at the Launceston General Hospital has been welcomed, but unions say the need for a strategic plan to address staff shortages remains vital.
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The state government will today release the long-awaited Launceston General Hospital draft masterplan, as part of its $580 million, 10-year plan to redevelop the health precent.
The plan was due to be released by the end of 2019, but the timeline was later revised in response to COVID-19, with work recommencing in August 2020.
What we know so far - key features of LGH redevelopment:
- A new mental health services precinct with contemporary facilities to enable safe and therapeutic, recovery-focused care, designed to enhance privacy;
- A new inpatient unit purpose-built and designed for the care of older people;
- A new tower on the current Northside site to provide necessary expansion space to make ward improvements, and to meet projected demand for in-patient and ambulatory care services;
- A new hospital entry and drop-off zone accessed from Cleveland Street, linked to a new central heart for the hospital to simplify visitor circulation inside the LGH, improve wayfinding and improve pedestrian and vehicle safety on the precinct; and
- A new administrative and learning hub at 39 Frankland Street, consolidating administrative, learning and collaboration activities into a central hub away from the main campus to help ease congestion and create more space for clinical activities.
With the draft now in sight, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmania branch secretary said it was a "positive first step" to see an infrastructure plan in place.
However, she said the ANMF - which formed part of the reference group informing the redevelopment strategy - had raised concerns over the need for adequate staffing resources.
"We've raised not only the need for infrastructure, but a broader strategy around our models of care," she said.
"Clearly, already, resourcing health services is a challenge for us.
"We are very keen to set to work with the health recruitment taskforce established to get a strategic plan in place that not only addresses the current risks, but sets us up for the future in making sure we do have the constant supply of nurses and midwives to fill positions to deliver services."
An election commitment, the state government promised to convene a health staff recruitment taskforce - aimed at improving recruitment across the state - within the first 30 days of forming government.
This will include further consultation with the likes of the ANMF, Australian Medical Association and University of Tasmania.
Ms Shepherd said Jeremy Rockliff's appointment as health minister would hopefully bring a fresh perspective to issues plaguing the state's health system, including the realignment of the mental and preventative health portfolios.
"I know having a fresh set of eyes offers the opportunity to look at things from a different perspective and perhaps consider solutions that might not have been considered in the past," she said.
"The other positive is having the minister hold portfolio for health and mental health.
"We are very keen to see that continued connection between those two very important portfolios."
The draft masterplan is expected to be released in full on Thursday afternoon.
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