The AMA TASMANIA Welcomes Government Support for The Hobart Clinic
AMA Tasmania President Dr Michael Lumsden-Steel today welcomed the Tasmanian Government’s announcement of $2 million in transitional funding to keep The Hobart Clinic open.
“This funding is a vital and very welcome step to ensure Southern Tasmania does not lose all of its private inpatient psychiatry capacity,” Dr Lumsden-Steel said.
“The Hobart Clinic provides critical mental health care for the South, and its closure would have left patients without access to private inpatient treatment anywhere in the region.
“The Government’s decision recognises that this is not simply a private sector issue — if these beds had closed, acutely unwell patients would have ended up in the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department, which is already stretched beyond capacity.
“This funding provides essential breathing space to stabilise services, retain our highly skilled clinicians, and work together on a sustainable future for private mental health care in Tasmania.”
“The AMA Tasmania thanks Minister Bridget Archer for her decisive intervention, and acknowledges the tireless advocacy of Dr Hannah Lake, Dr Rob Walters, Tim Booker, Robbie Moore (HACSU) and AMA Tasmania CEO Lara Giddings AO, whose collaboration helped secure this outcome for patients and staff.”
Dr Hannah Lake, psychiatrist and former Clinical Director of The Hobart Clinic, also welcomed the announcement:
“This decision brings great relief to both doctors and patients who rely on the Clinic’s services,” Dr Lake said.
“It ensures continuity of care for vulnerable Tasmanians and gives the Clinic the stability it needs to plan its recovery.
“We look forward to working with government and colleagues on long-term solutions that keep private mental health care strong in Tasmania.”>>>END
