Health Hub seeking formal approval for ward, Mother Baby Centre plans

Plans are before the City of Launceston council, formally requesting the layout and function of two floors be altered from what was initially approved.

Under the new proposal the building's third floor will be changed from medical tenancies to a 20-bed hospital ward, to supplement facilities at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH).

The ward will be staffed by LGH nurses and doctors, and non-acute patients would be admitted there as soon as possible during their hospital stay.

According to the planning documents this would not only free up hospital beds, but reduce the demand on parking at the site as the LGH staff will park at the hospital.

Moving up one level, the fourth floor will be converted from medical specialist suites to a four-bed residential support service, two outpatient consulting rooms and a break-out space for staff at the Health Hub.

This will be part of the Mother Baby Centre, which provides in-patient and out-patient support to new parents, and the two consulting rooms are set to host a psychologist and a mental health practitioner.

As part of the new design, the building's facade will be tweaked slightly by adding more windows.

The Mother Baby Centre will be operated by Tresillian Family Care, and parents of children with complex needs will have the opportunity to spend four nights at the centre to help them get the treatment they need.

Both major parties pledged to support the redevelopment of the medical centre on the campaign trail, with Labor offering a $70 million no-interest loan.

The Liberals matched this amount, however their pledge included a $35 million stake in the facility itself - making it a joint venture.

The redevelopment of the Launceston Health Hub is expected to be complete by mid-2025.

The updated plans are available at the Launceston Town Hall for public inspection and comment until July 15, 2024.