Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Health
The Tasmanian Liberal Government will invest $15.7 million over four years to implement the health Workforce 2040 Strategy, which will be released in coming weeks.
Workforce 2040 is our long-term strategy to shape a health workforce that meets the needs of Tasmanians now and into the future. It aims to improve our workforce through strategies to develop staff, targeted recruitment and building a positive workplace environment.
We know the greatest asset in our health system is our people. We want the Tasmanian Health Service to be considered a workplace of choice, where everyone feels valued, staff are recognised, and individuals feel empowered to make positive changes and are given opportunities for growth.
The 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget will include $5 million to implement a One Health cultural improvement program to support staff to work together, learn, collaborate and problem-solve, share risk, empower and respect each other.
Improving the workplace environment in our hospitals and across the broader health system, including mental health services, is a major focus for the Tasmanian Liberal Government. We want to provide positive, patient-centric and solutions-focused environments that meet contemporary and best-practice standards.
We have already made a start with hospital initiatives such as the Pathway to Excellence, an internationally recognised program, based on a framework delivering proven success at driving positive change.
The Pathway program requires the organisation to provide evidence of the work it is undertaking to achieve this cultural change under six Pathway Standards: shared decision-making, leadership, safety, quality, well-being, and professional development. This work has started in the South and will now be expanded to the North and North-West.
Improving staff satisfaction and engagement will allow us to retain and attract staff and through investment in our existing and upcoming leaders, we can improve diversity, drive positive cultural change and lead the delivery of our strategic priorities.
The Health Staff Recruitment Taskforce will continue to make recommendations on strategies and initiatives to support the recruitment of a more stable and permanent workforce with a particular focus on supporting elective surgery, opening additional beds and taking pressure off emergency departments.
The Tasmanian Government is committed to delivering better healthcare for all Tasmanians, in the right place, at the right time, and having the right staff will enable us to achieve that and secure Tasmania's future.
