Rural and remote Tasmania

Almost two-thirds of Tasmania's population live outside Hobart. Around 1 in 5 people live in a rural location.

Many parts of Tasmania are isolated and far away from the main cities. It's important to know about health services, so you can get help when you need it.

What types of health services are available?

You can use the healthdirect Service Finder to find health services, including:

• doctors
• hospitals
• dentists
• opticians
• psychologists
• pharmacies

Community centres may have information about local health services. You can also ask local people about what is available.

The service you need may depend on what you need help with.

You can visit the Tasmanian Government Department of Health website for more information on different health services.

Hospitals

Tasmania has 4 major hospitals. There are also smaller district hospitals that offer some health services.

Outpatient clinics

Outpatient clinics in Tasmania offer allied health services and medical testing, as well as specialist care, including:

• paediatric care (for children)
• alcohol and drug services
• aged care
• breast cancer screening
• burns services
• surgical assessment

Care in the community is also available in Tasmania, including services like:

• aged care
• Hospital in the Home
• social work

Rural Health Tasmania is a registered charity that provides free health services to Tasmanians living rurally. You can visit their website or call on (03) 6452 1266.

You can read more about outpatient clinics and community health on the Tasmanian Government Department of Health website.

Specialist outreach services

In Tasmania, TAZREACH provides outreach services. These services include outreach for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

You can find the current TAZREACH services on the Tasmanian Government Department of Health website.

Mental health and wellbeing

Health services in Tasmania offer mental health care.

People living and working in rural and remote areas may experience different pressures to those in the city. These can include loneliness and isolation.

Tasmanians living outside Hobart have a higher rate of psychological distress and suicide than those in the city.

Access Mental Health is a support, triage and referral phone line for anyone in Tasmania who needs immediate support. Call 1800 332 388 to access:

• immediate phone counselling
• information about the Tasmanian mental health system
• referral to the public mental health services

Rural Alive and Well is a community service that provides mental health support to Tasmanians living rurally or remotely. You can call them on 1800 RAW TAS.

There are other mental health and counselling services available for Tasmanians living rurally.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service also provides access to mental health care.

Services are also available if you need help with relationships and mental health.

You can find more mental health helplines.

You can read more about rural and remote mental health.

Dental care

Health services in Tasmania offer dental care.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service can also help you get dental care if you live rurally or remotely. They have fixed clinics as well as a mobile clinic.

Learn more about dental health.

Emergency assistance

Ambulance Tasmania has 53 locations including in rural and remote areas.

Emergency ambulance services in Tasmania include the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, which provides emergency care and transport as well as search and rescue services.

In Australia, air ambulance services are managed by the state and territory ambulance services. They also partner with groups like CareFlight and the Royal Flying Doctor Service. States and territories may have their own air ambulances.

Online and telephone services and support

For free health advice you can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Virtual care or telehealth

Telehealth helps people in remote areas contact health professionals and major hospitals through audio and video calls. This may reduce your need to travel to a health appointment.

My Health Record

My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information. You and the healthcare professionals that you see can add details to your record.

You may have several health providers in different locations. This digital summary means your health information is all in one place, and easily accessible to all the health professionals involved in your care. My Health Record can help improve communication between the people looking after you.

You can do this online learning module to help you understand your My Health Record.

Health services and support across your life-course in Tasmania

There are many in person, online and telephone support services that you can use across your life course.

Healthcare for babies and toddlers

You can call the Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS), a 24-hour parent support line, on 1300 808 178.

If you are pregnant, or a parent of a young child, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Read about maternity services in rural Tasmania and parenting in the country.

Healthcare for children

CHaPS provides free child health and development assessments for all children aged 0 to 5 years. You can find a service near you or contact CHaPS on 1300 064 544.

There are other services available for children, such as the Kids Helpline. Kids Helpline offers telephone and online counselling for young people aged 5 to 25 years, call 1800 55 1800.

Healthcare for teenagers

Youth Health Services are available in Tasmania for people up to the age of 24 years. These services can help with:

• problems at home, school or work
• relationship problems
• sexual health
• mental health
• substances abuse

There are other mental health services available for teenagers and young people, such as:

• Headspace for people aged 12 to 25 years — call them on 1800 650 890 or make an appointment at your nearest headspace centre
• Kids Helpline for ages up to 25 years — call them on 1800 55 1800
• Reachout.com — visit their website

Learn more about sexual health.

Healthcare for older people

Care for older people in Tasmania may be through clinics, programs or in the community.

You can find information on aged care services on the My Aged Care website. You can also call them on 1800 200 422.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples' health

Around 5% of people in Tasmania are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A range of https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/learn/locations/tas/organisations/ are available in rural and remote of Tasmania.

Find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) near you.

You can also visit the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre website.

For mental health support, you can call 13YARN on 13 92 76.

Farming communities

In farming communities, accidents are common both for workers and their children. The National Centre for Farmer Health has information on health and wellbeing.

Rural aid provides a counselling service for farmers and their families. You can call them on 1300 175 594.

Staying healthy

The Tasmanian Department of Health website has information on nutrition and physical activity.

Eat Well Tasmania provides guidance on healthy eating.

Travelling to health services

To access all the health services you need, you may need to travel. This might include travelling to a hospital or specialist within Tasmania, or to mainland Australia. If so, you might be able to apply for help for non-emergency patient transport.

Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS) can provide financial support towards medical travel and accommodation costs.

Ambulance Tasmania, CareFlight and the Royal Flying Doctor Service can provide non-emergency patient transport for Tasmanians.

Travelling to hospital with a sick child can be hard for the whole family. Ask your local health service or the hospital about what support may be available. You might also be able to get help for accommodation through Ronald McDonald House.

Resources and support

To find health services in Tasmania, you can search for health services on the Department of Health website.

Find services for carers through the CarersTas website or the Care2Serve website.

Visit the Disability Gateway website.

Find out more about rural and remote health.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.