State budget leaves primary healthcare on Tasmania’s East Coast in the waiting room

Leading not-for-profit community health organisation cohealth will continue to advocate for the Tasmanian Government to help improve primary care in the state’s East Coast, after this week’s budget revealed a lack of investment in that area.

While cohealth welcomes the state government’s overall cash injection into Tasmania’s health system — including $2.5 million to expand pharmacists’ scope of practice — remote and rural care has not been prioritised.

Since 2023, cohealth has been working with the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council to make it easier for the residents of two remote towns access health services.

Together, the organisations have developed a community-health model designed to help the people of Bicheno and Triabunna receive much-needed health care — but it needs government funding to bring it to life.

“We remain committed to improving primary care in Tasmania’s East Coast,” Nicole Bartholomeusz, cohealth’s Chief Executive says.

“This is a region where GPs continue to face huge demands for health care from an ageing population with chronic health issues. Yet, like so many people living in rural and remote communities, their relative geographic isolation risks them missing out on vital support and treatment.”

For Tasmania’s East Coast, cohealth is repeating its calls for:

• State funding for the Glamorgan Spring Bay Community Health Model. Ongoing access to primary care is essential for the Glamorgan Spring Bay community and funding is needed for the continued operation of healthcare clinics in Bicheno and Triabunna.
• State or Federal funding for Urgent Care Services. There are no urgent care facilities in Bicheno and Triabunna, leaving those towns’ under-resourced general practices to deal with significant numbers of urgent care cases.

“The $25 million investment in redeveloping Launceston and Hobart hospitals may benefit those cities,” Nicole says, “but they won’t meet the needs of remote patients living two-to-three hours away.”

“With the Glamorgan Spring Bay Community Health Model, we have the solution. We just need the government to come to the table to help us implement it.”

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more information: Adam Bennett adam.bennett@cohealth.org.au or 0424 147 230

About cohealth: cohealth is a not-for-profit community health organisation that provides low-cost and free local health and support services including medical, dental, allied health, mental health, aged care and counselling, and many specialist health services in Melbourne’s CBD, inner-north and inner-west, and the east coast of Tasmania (Bicheno and Triabunna).