North Tasmanians to benefit from investment in heart centre

The Albanese Government will invest $120 million to establish the Northern Heart Centre in Launceston, delivering better health care for northern Tasmanians with heart disease.

The commitment will fund the establishment costs for the Northern Heart Centre, which is a key component of the Launceston General Hospital master plan that has been developed jointly between the Commonwealth and State Governments.

Cardiovascular disease is Australia's number one killer, accounting for one in every four deaths. More than 4 million Australians, or one in six people, are living with cardiovascular disease.

The Northern Heart Centre will deliver:

• A new coronary care unit with 16 inpatient cardiac ward beds, and seven coronary care unit beds, which will be co-located with the intensive care unit (ICU);
• Two cardiac catheterisation labs with dedicated recovery and holding bays for direct access for patients requiring procedures (bypassing the emergency department);
• Dedicated diagnostic testing for echocardiography and outpatient services, with five echocardiography testing rooms, one exercise testing room and six outpatient consultation rooms; and
• Direct access to the ICU, emergency department and medical imaging.

The Northern Heart Centre will also help to address workforce shortages in Tasmania, by attracting and retaining critically needed clinicians to the state, and the north of Tasmania, in particular.

The Centre's dedicated cardiac beds and labs will help to take pressure off the Launceston General Hospital, freeing up hospital beds and reducing pressure on the emergency department.

The Northern Heart Centre builds on other Albanese Government investments to improve health services for Tasmanians, like:

• the $20 million committed to establish the Launceston Hospice,
• four new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Hobart, Launceston and Devonport, and
• a $28 million investment in services and programs to help older Tasmanians get the care they need outside of hospital, when they no longer medically need to remain there.

Bulk billing is now more available in Tasmania, thanks to the Albanese Government making the largest investment in bulk billing in Medicare history, with Tasmania seeing the largest increase in GP bulk billing in in the country.

The Northern Heart Centre is currently expected to be completed in 2029.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

"We know cardiovascular disease is the number one killer right around the nation, impacting the lives of so many Australians and their families.

"Chest pain is one of the most frequent presentations to the emergency departments in North West Tasmania.

"This investment will support the delivery of critical health facilities that will serve the people of Launceston and surrounding communities.

"My Government is dedicated to ensuring all Australians have access to quality healthcare, no matter their postcode.
"This is why we have made record investment in strengthening Medicare.

"Our policies have saved Tasmanians have saved more than $9.5 million on the cost of their medicines, thanks to our cheaper medicines policies."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler:

"People in Launceston and right across northern Tasmania will benefit from a new dedicated Northern Heart Centre, funded by the Albanese Government.

"The Northern Heart Centre will mean Tasmanians with heart disease will get the best possible care, while also helping to free up beds at the Launceston General Hospital and take pressure off its emergency department.

"Nearly 45,000 Tasmanians have visited a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic and received free, urgent care, with Tasmanians also benefitting from the largest increase to GP bulk billing in the country."

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