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How is the next government going to do health differently?
As Tasmania approaches its second state election in less than two years, voters should be asking one critical question of every candidate: how will you do health differently?
Our health system is at a tipping point. Like the rest of the world, Tasmania faces a perfect storm of challenges: an ageing population, a looming global shortage of healthcare workers, and the unsustainable cost of managing increasing levels of chronic disease.
Yet, despite these clear warning signs, our political discourse remains stuck in reactive, short-term thinking.
According to the Demographic Change Advisory Council (DCAC), by 2030 one in four Tasmanians will be aged 65 and over. This compares to ABS data from 2011, revealing one in six were over 65, representing an increase of nearly 60,000 people in under two decades.
While we might be living longer, those extra years are generally spent in poor health. We must create a health system that narrows the gap between our health span – that is the years spent in good health – and our lifespan.
Our aging population draws down heavier on the acute health system, consuming exponentially more of the health spend. This underlines the importance of targeted interventions and prevention measures to address healthcare needs, as many of these cases are driven by chronic illness that are largely preventable.
Despite this, currently less than three per cent of the health budget is allocated to preventive care. This is not only shortsighted, but also economically reckless. Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are ballooning in cost and prevalence.
We need a visionary health strategy that prioritises keeping people well, not just treating them when they’re sick. It is not about spending more, it’s about spending smarter.
Further to this, by 2030 – just five years from now – the world will be short 10 million healthcare workers.
That’s not a distant problem – it’s a crisis already knocking on our door. Tasmania, with its ageing demographic and regional health disparities, is especially vulnerable. While the government has increased funding, training and recruitment of healthcare workers, this alone isn’t a smart pathway forward. We need to fundamentally change how our health system functions and look to new, more efficient models of care that adequately support our valuable healthcare workforce.
Other countries are already pivoting. They’re investing in community-based preventative care, digital health solutions, and workforce innovation. Australia, and indeed Tasmania must follow suit, or risk lagging even further behind.
This means reimagining how we train and deploy our health workforce, and it requires political courage. Candidates must move beyond platitudes and commit to structural reform.
Tasmanians deserve a health system that is proactive, equitable, and sustainable. This election is a chance to demand it. Voters should press every candidate on how they plan to tackle the health workforce crisis, invest in prevention, and reduce the burden of chronic disease in our state.
Doing health differently isn’t just a policy choice, it’s a moral imperative. The future of Tasmania’s wellbeing depends on it. We can lead the nation in health innovation, if only we are willing.
This is not a cost, it’s an investment in our own future and that of the next generation.
Paul Lupo is the CEO of Tasmanian not-for-profit St Lukes.
Launceston co-located hospital commitment welcomed
St Lukes has been long-time advocate for a co-located hospital in Northern Tasmania and welcomes any political commitment that opens the doors to private investment in our state.
We know through engagement with our members in the north of the state just how critical it is for the community to have access to a co-located hospital that provides a greater breadth of services beyond acute care.
Around 80 per cent of all elective surgeries in Tasmania happen in the private sector, which significantly eases the burden on the public hospital system.
We are committed to working constructively with both private and public operators to ensure we deliver the best health care we can, as we continue our work to make Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet.
A co-located hospital at the LGH is a fundamental first step to creating one of the best regional health systems in Australia, with the ability to attract and retain the highest caliber specialists to the north of the state.
St Lukes demands action this state election to transform Tasmania’s health outcomes
Leading Tasmanian not-for-profit St Lukes is calling for political vision this state election, outlining two priorities that will pave the way for a healthier and more resilient Tasmania and help break the cycle of reactive care in the state.
St Lukes is asking candidates to commit to the immediate rollout of a whole-of-government approach to a preventative health strategy within the first term of government.
As a first proof point, St Lukes is seeking support for a grants program that would enable a ready-to-go health literacy program to be scaled up to Tasmanian schools, providing the next generation with the tools they need to make better informed decisions around their health.
CEO Paul Lupo said chronic illness and mental health challenges were overwhelming the state’s health system, yet 80 per cent of these conditions were lifestyle-related and entirely preventable.
"Preventative health isn’t a nice-to-have – it is a must-have investment in our community’s health, and our government must shift its focus from continuously funding a system that predominantly manages sickness, to proactively investing in one that builds greater sustainable health and wellness.
“This will in turn enable the acute health system to deal with those issues which are outside of our control in a timelier fashion.
“It is not about spending more, it’s about spending smarter.”
Mr Lupo said the preventative health strategy must prioritise long-term commitment to the front end of health care, spanning education, planning, social services, housing, and community.
"There is a growing appetite in the community for more investment in initiatives that empower individuals to make better decisions about things that could negatively impact their health – St Lukes’ wellness hubs are proof of this,” he said.
“We have partnered with more than 200 organisations to deliver a range of health and wellbeing initiatives, with more than 22,000 Tasmanians engaging in services since opening in Hobart and Launceston in August 2023 and July 2024 respectively.
“These organisations stand ready and willing to support the government with the implementation of a holistic, preventative health strategy.”
St Lukes is also calling for the introduction of a grant scheme to provide Tasmanian primary schools with immediate and direct access to an internationally acclaimed, evidence-based health literacy program, developed right here in the state.
“HealthLit4Kids works at a local level with children, their teachers, families, and their broader school communities to develop innovative approaches to learning and health,” Mr Lupo said.
“More than three in five Tasmanians have inadequate health literacy, and close to half of all Tasmanian adults have difficulty accessing the healthcare providers they need.
“The program has featured in more than 16 academic papers and three World Health Organisation reports as an exemplar for addressing chronic diseases.
“There are already successful case studies for the program, including Bowen Road Primary School, and there is high demand from more than 30 schools across the state, eager to introduce the program to their school communities.”
Mr Lupo said the state election provided an opportunity for the major parties to do health differently, and for new candidates to bring a fresh approach.
“We truly believe Tasmania can lead the nation in health innovation, if only we are willing,” he said.
“This is not a cost, it’s an investment in our own futures and those of our future generations.”
ENDS
For further information: Jacquie Ray, Timmins Ray Public Relations – 0429 683 779.