Tasmania now has a disability health strategy.
The State government says the strategy will ensuring Tasmanians with disability have access to high-quality, inclusive public health services.
It was informed by consultation with people with lived experience , and reflects directions for reform for disability services at both state and national level including the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review.
The Disability Health Strategy will focus on providing quality health services, improving the accessibility of infrastructure, empowering decision-making, building Tasmania’s disability workforce and improving information systems and processes.
It will be implemented through a series of action plans, with the first action plan released alongside the Strategy including foundational actions for the Department of Health to implement by the end of 2025.
Minister for Disability Services, Jo Palmer, said all Tasmanians deserve to access health care which is suited to their needs.
“We are absolutely committed to improving the lives of the one in four Tasmanians who live with disability,” Minister Palmer said.
“We acknowledge that people with disability face a range of barriers in accessing quality health care and the Disability Health Strategy aims to assist our Government in addressing this.”
Minister for Health, Jacquie Petrusma, thanked those who contributed to the community consultation process for the strategy.
“Your insights were integral to the development of the Strategy, and will guide us in improving how we deliver health services to the disability community both now and into the future,” she said.
You can read the strategy on the government’s website.