Greens pledge $20 million training facility for nurses in the North

The $20 million pledge would extend the Health, Education and Research Centre (HERC) in Hobart to Launceston, and offer an alternative to a Diploma of Nursing.

The pledge was welcomed by ANMF Tasmania branch secretary Emily Shepherd, who said there was a real need to be able to support the Northern Tasmanian community and the north-west.

"We also are very keen to offer accommodation on site for those that are travelling from rural and remote areas, so that they can come and do their face to face and practical simulation training here," Ms Shepherd said.

"And then take their skills back to their communities so that they're not having to relocate to the major cities to be able to undertake that training, and stay there to work.

"We have an ageing population with chronic diseases - the highest in the country. We need to be looking at how it is that we can support our ageing population to stay at home in their communities."

She said the proposal came about after identifying a "significant need" for an additional training facility in the state's North.

"In our Southern campus, we were seeing students travelling from both the north-west and also the North of the state," Ms Shepherd said.

"And our engagement with industry through our Registered Training Organisation (RTO) has identified that need for tailored support to community care providers into aged care providers."

The Liberals announced their plan for a "recruitment blitz" of nurses if re-elected, through a package of incentives designed to encourage more nurses to move to Tasmania, or back to Tasmania, and encourage new graduate nurses to remain in the state.

Labor also pledged to spend millions on University degrees for health workers, and pay for 290 university degrees and clinical placements for nurses, midwives, nurse practitioners, paramedics and allied health graduates over three years if elected to government.

Greens candidate for Bass Cecily Rosol said one of the issues facing Tasmania at the moment was a shortage of nurses.

"That's putting huge pressure on nurses working in our hospitals," Ms Rosol said.

"So the HERC is something that the Greens are proud to support because we know that it will make a difference for those nurses who need training, or need support entering the workplace as graduates."