Thank you to our community!

First, we want to sincerely thank the more than 400 people who took the time to share their experiences of health care in Tasmania through our annual Pulse Check Survey.

We know that reflecting on healthcare can be difficult, especially when things have not gone well. The insights provided through this survey important. They give a real picture of what is working, what isn’t, and where change is most urgently needed.

Your generous sharing of your experiences helps us make sure your voices stay at the heart of our work.

Access is the issue Tasmanians feel most

People were clear about their priorities. The overwhelming majority said what matters most is being able to access the right care at the right time. But often the healthcare they need isn’t available.

The most common reason people gave for missing out on care that there was no appointment available. Whether it’s waiting weeks for a GP, months for a specialist, or years for surgery, waiting is now a normal part of the system.

This is concerning. When care is delayed, conditions worsen, recovery becomes harder, and people are forced to live with pain or uncertainty for longer. We know people want to prevent disease and stay well when possible. But that can’t happen if people can’t access the services they need.

Cost is becoming a barrier to care

Access isn’t just about availability. It is also about affordability.

Tasmanians are telling us that cost is causing many to delay or skip care they need. Despite recent increases to bulk-billing of GPs, Tasmanians are still feeling the impact of out-of-pocket costs. Many are being forced to make difficult decisions about their health because of money.

On the other hand, others turn to private services to avoid long waits, if they can afford it. But this is creating a system where timely care depends on your income, and that’s not equitable or sustainable.

Care is good, but the system around it is not

One of the strongest messages from the survey is the distinction between the system and the people within it. People spoke highly of individual healthcare workers and value their skill, compassion, and dedication.

But that respect for individual workers sits alongside frustration with a system that is hard to navigate, fragmented and slow to respond. People described lost referrals, poor communication between services, and a lack of follow-up care.

The gaps are clearest in mental health and specialist care

The survey highlights significant gaps where the system is under the most pressure.

Mental health care stands out as the hardest service to access. Specialist care is another major pressure point. People reported closed books, long delays, and the need to travel significant distances and sometimes interstate to receive treatment.

For people with chronic or complex conditions care is often piecemeal, delayed, or unavailable altogether. Once again, access to private specialists was often a major factor in being able to receive timely care.

Where you live matters

Tasmania’s geography continues to shape people’s health outcomes. With a large part of our population living rurally, our system still struggles to provide adequate care to those outside major centres.

Many respondents described the challenges of living outside of Hobart and Launceston. These included fewer services, long travel times, and limited transport options. In some cases, accessing care requires hours of travel, or isn’t possible at all, especially for those without private transport or family to support.

Not everyone is treated equally

The survey also highlights that people’s experiences are not all the same.

A significant number of respondents reported feeling judged, dismissed, or treated unfairly because of who they are. These experiences were particularly common for people with disability, those with complex conditions, and people seeking culturally safe or inclusive care. People also felt they received poorer treatment because of their weight or age. Stigma and discrimination are not uncommon experiences.

All Tasmanians deserve the right to safe and high-quality care, but right now, too many Tasmanians feel they don’t always receive this.

What’s next?

This data ensures that our advocacy is grounded in the real experiences of people across Tasmania. The findings from this survey will directly inform our advocacy.

We will be using this evidence to:

Advocate to government in response to the State Budget, highlighting where investment and reform is most needed

Strengthen our broader advocacy on access, affordability, and equity in the health system

Inform our ongoing work with stakeholders and partners across the health sector

Build a clearer, evidence-based picture of the experiences of Tasmanians to guide future priorities

Thank you again to the more than 400 people that participated from all over the state. If you were lucky enough to be drawn as a recipient of a gift card for your time, you have already been contacted.