The Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) in Tasmania, Australia, is undergoing upgrades to improve its facilities and capacity.

This A$41m ($27.3m) project includes the construction of a new outpatient facility, as well as additional endoscopy, day surgery, and theatre suites.

The aim is to enhance access to sub-speciality surgeries and reduce waiting times for elective surgeries.

The Elective Surgery Day Centre will be expanded to include more consulting rooms, specialist treatment rooms, dedicated paediatric rooms, audiology, and physiotherapy services.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government has allocated A$4.3m ($2.87m) for the development of a new Rural Medical Workforce Centre at MCH.

Construction for the Outpatients Clinics and Operating Theatres project is expected to be completed in late 2024 while the Rural Medical Workforce Centre is scheduled for completion later this year.

These upgrades are said to be part of the government's plan to provide ‘world-class’ health services in the North-West region of Tasmania.

Tasmania premier Jeremy Rockliff said: “The Mersey Community Hospital is a critical part of our community, and this redevelopment secures its future for years to come.

“The expansion means that we can meet the local community’s increasing and changing demand for health services.

“The upgrades are key to our long-term vision for world-class health services in the north-west.”

Established in 1961, Mersey Community Hospital has received support from both staff and the local community.

The hospital is fully accredited by Quality Innovation Performance LTD (QIP). It has undergraduate and graduate clinical training programmes, as well as an alliance with the University of Tasmania Rural Clinical School and TAFE Tasmania.

It also works in collaboration with other hospitals and primary health services in the region to provide patient care and support.