Guy Barnett 'ready for challenge' of toughest cabinet portfolio

Mr Barnett, who was appointed Minister of Health in last week's cabinet reshuffle, toured Royal Hobart Hospital on Wednesday and was due to visit the state's other hospitals in the coming weeks.

He dismissed questions that the portfolio amounted to a poisoned chalice.

"I was delighted with the offer from Jeremy Rockliff, I've always had an interest in health, people know I have a passion for health and improving healthy lifestyles," Mr Barnett said.

After speaking briefly with 75 year-old Dodges Ferry pensioner Wendy, who caught influenza while being treated for renal problems at the RHH, Mr Barnett said he was up to the challenge of improving the health of Tasmanians.

Mr Barnett takes over the health ministry from Premier Rockliff at a critical time, as the government is lashed with criticism over growing waiting times in the emergency department and worsening problems of ambulance ramping at the state's hospitals.

According to the government's latest figures, just 55 per cent of emergency department patients were seen on time in May, while just 61 per cent of elective surgery patients were treated within the clinically recommended time.

The surgery figures were worse at the Launceston General Hospital and the North West Regional Hospital - just 58 per cent of LGH elective surgery patients in May were treated within clinically recommended times.

At the NWRH, just 49 per cent of elective surgery patients were treated within clinically recommended times in May.

Mr Barnett said the government would deliver on its plan to redevelop the LGH and he expected the federal government to play a role in that.

Mr Barnett praised the Premier's record as Health Minister, saying that elective surgery waiting times had fallen by 30 per cent since January 2021 and pointing out "record" funding of $12 billion per year into the system.

"I want to build on the momentum that Jeremy has left," he said.

"I'll be meeting with stakeholders, unions and others in the health sector to learn and understand how we can improve the health system, to make it even better."

But he acknowledged fixing the state's health system would not be easy.

"There are massive challenges in the health space, nobody is denying that, I don't want to underestimate the challenges ahead," he said.

"There are challenges, particularly in primary health care, that is an area of special interest, the Australian Government must do more, they are responsible for the support of primary health.

"They need to do some more heavy lifting in that space, and I look forward to working with the federal government to ensure they do their bit."

Labor Leader Rebecca White said Mr Barnett likely wouldn't last long as health minister.

"This is the sixth reshuffle in just two years of this government and the average length for each minister was about five months," she said.

"So the new Health Minister has probably got five months to get the jobs done he has planned in his portfolio before Tasmanians can expect to see another likely reshuffle.

"This is a government that's lurching from crisis to crisis and I don't think that the reset we've just seen is much more than a reset of jelly."

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