Tasmania Premier talks nurse overtime, locum costs at estimates hearing

Mr Rockliff said this represented almost 3.5 per cent of the total budget for health for the financial year.

Of the $57.1 million, $11.6 million was spent on locum services for the Royal Hobart Hospital, $16,6 million for the Launceston General Hospital, $9.7 million for the North West Regional Hospital and $6.2 million for the Mersey Community Hospital.

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Mr Rockliff said $12.1 million had been spent on mental health locum contracts.

The government spent $52 million on locum contracts in 2021-22.

Mr Rockliff told the budget estimates committee that hospital nurses worked 2718 double shifts statement in the first nine months of the budget year for 2022-23, which was slightly down on the 2796 double shifts worked over the same period for 2021-22.

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He said double shifts were worked according to extraordinary circumstances, such as to cover unplanned absences, personal leave or for patient acuity.

Labor's health spokeswoman Anita Dow questioned Mr Rockliff on whether he had formally requested a funding contribution from the previous federal government for stage two of the Launceston General Hospital redevelopment.

"It's a $580 million project," she said.

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"It was your government's clear election commitment at the last state election where at the time you said that you would ask the federal government to further fund that project, given its significance."

Mr Rockliff said he had made it known to the previous Liberal government there were a number of health infrastructure projects that he wanted to see federal money invested into.

He said he would do the same with the current Labor government.

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