Sarah Courtney,Minister for Health
A new agreement for Healthscope Limited (Healthscope) to operate the Hobart Private Hospital for a further 20 years will commence this Friday, 13th December.
Minister for Health, Sarah Courtney, said that the new agreement was a great outcome for the State.
“This new agreement with Healthscope will boost services at the Hobart Private Hospital and importantly ease pressure on the Royal Hobart Hospital.”
“The Hobart Private Hospital provides important health services for Tasmanians all over the state, including locally with the 24/7 Emergency Department, so this new agreement is a really positive outcome for the community.” Ms Courtney said.
Healthscope’s CEO, Steven Rubic, said this agreement was more than just a lease, it’s a comprehensive plan to provide high quality health services and outstanding patient outcomes to the community.
“Healthscope has served the Tasmanian community as the operator of the Hobart Private Hospital for the past 20 years, and we are looking forward to continuing to serve the community for at least the next 20 years.
“Under the new lease, Healthscope will pay a market rent to the State Government as well as invest to make sure we have the facilities we need to provide the best possible care.”
Hobart Private Hospital’s General Manager, Kathryn Berry, noted “Importantly, as part of the new lease we remain committed to providing the Tasmanian community with access to 24 hour emergency department services to help take pressure off the Royal Hobart Hospital’s Emergency Department.
“With the certainty of a new lease, we can now look at improving our facilities to maximise beds and capacity and also explore other services we may be able to offer that would complement the services available at the Royal Hobart Hospital, such as an Intensive Care Unit.
“Our team of staff and consulting professionals are excited about the future and we’re ready to get on with the job and continue to make a real difference to the Tasmanian community”, Kathryn concluded.
The Hobart Private Hospital directly employs over 550 people, including 350 nurses, and draws on the expertise of more than 350 consulting doctors.
Each year on average, the Hospital’s dedicated team treats over 23,500 patients, and undertakes 14,000 procedures. They also work closely with the Royal Hobart Hospital to ensure services are well coordinated so that Tasmanians can receive the best care possible.
