The Department of Health (DoH), previously the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is the Tasmanian Government department responsible for hospitals, ambulances and community health, while also supporting related areas such as primary healthcare. The department is the largest of all the Tasmanian Government agencies.
The department is led by its Secretary, Dale Webster. The Secretary is responsible to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing presently Bridget Archer MP.
The Tasmanian Health Service is the service delivery arm of the DoH which provides public hospital, medical, community and aged care, oral health and mental health services. This includes delivery of health care at the Launceston General Hospital, the Royal Hobart Hospital, Mersey Community Hospital, and the North West Regional Hospital.
Ambulance services are provided by Ambulance Tasmania.
History The department was formed on 24 November 1992, from the amalgamation of the Department of Community Services and the former Department of Health and was known as the Department of Community and Health Services. 'Tasmanian State Service (Restructuring) Order (No. 6) 1992' in Tasmania, Statutory Rules 1992, 1299, 1300.
On 18 September 1998, the name of the department was changed to the Department of Health and Human Services.Tasmanian State Service (Restructuring) Order (No. 2) 1998 (Tas).
On 1 July 2018, parts of the department were amalgamated with the Department of Communities Tasmania and was renamed the Department of Health.State Service (Restructuring) Order 2018 (Tas).
List of Tasmanian Ministers for Health This is a list of Ministers for Health or any of its titles since first appearing as Minister Administering The Office Of The Minister For Health in 1943.
Minister Party Premier Title TermEric HowroydLaborCosgroveMinister Administering The Office Of The Minister For Health 30 November 1943 – 29 March 1946Alfred WhiteLaborHonorary Minister For Health 29 March 1946 – 9 December 1946 Alfred WhiteLaborBrookerMinister Administering The Office Of The Minister For Health 19 December 1947 – 24 February 1948CosgroveMinister for Health 25 February 1948 – 2 September 1948Reginald TurnbullLabor 2 September 1948 – 23 October 1956Minister Administering The Department of Health Services 23 October 1956 – 11 June 1958Alfred WhiteLabor 12 June 1958 – 26 August 1958Reece 26 August 1958 – 28 October 1958Reginald TurnbullLabor 28 October 1958 – 7 April 1959John GahaLaborMinister for Health 9 April 1959 – 19 September 1961William McNeilLabor 19 September 1961 – 13 May 1964Mervyn EverettLabor 13 May 1964 – 26 May 1969Nigel AbbottLiberalBethuneMinister for Health & Road Safety 26 May 1969 – 21 March 1972Eardley BinghamLiberal 22 March 1972 – 3 May 1972Allan FosterLaborReeceMinister for Health 3 May 1972 – 15 July 1974Hedley FarquharLabor 16 July 1974 – 31 March 1975Neilson 31 March 1975 – 12 August 1976Doug LoweLaborMinister for Industrial Relations & Health 12 August 1976 – 1 December 1977Micheal BarnardLaborLoweMinister for Health 1 December 1977 – 29 August 1980Gillian JamesLaborMinister for Public Health 29 August 1980 – 7 July 1981Minister for Public & Mental Health 7 July 1981 – 11 November 1981Holgate 11 November 1981 – 26 May 1982Thomas ClearyLiberalGreyMinister for Health 27 May 1982 – 19 February 1986Roger GroomLiberal 19 February 1986 – 29 June 1989John WhiteLaborField 3 July 1989 – 17 February 1992Roger GroomLiberalGroom 18 February 1992 – 23 November 1992Minister for Community and Health Services 23 November 1992 – 18 March 1996Peter McKayLiberalRundleMinister for Health and Community Services 18 March 1996 – 14 September 1998Judy JacksonLabor BaconMinister for Health and Human Services 14 September 1998 – 9 August 2002David LlewellynLabor 9 August 2002 – 21 March 2004.Lennon 21 March 2004 – 5 April 2006Lara Giddings Labor 5 April 2006 – 26 May 2008BartlettMinister for Health 26 May 2008 – 21 April 2010Michelle O'Byrne Labor Giddings 21 April 2010 – 31 March 2014Michael Ferguson Liberal Hodgman 31 March 2014 – 19 July 2019Sarah Courtney Liberal 19 July 2019 – 20 January 2020Gutwein 20 January 2020 – 19 May 2021Jeremy Rockliff Liberal 19 May 2021 – 8 April 2022Rockliff 8 April 2022 – 25 July 2023Guy Barnett Liberal 25 July 2023 – 11 April 2024Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing 11 April 2024 – 23 October 2024Jacquie Petrusma Liberal Minister for Health 23 October 2024 – 11 August 2025Bridget Archer Liberal Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing 11 August 2025–
List of Tasmanian Ministers for Health Services This is a list of Ministers for Health Services when separated from Health since first appearing in 1980.
Minister Party Premier Title TermMicheal BarnardLaborLoweMinister for Health Services 29 August 1980 – 17 September 1980
List of Tasmanian Ministers for Mental Health and Wellbeing This is a list of Ministers for Mental Health and Wellbeing when separated from Health since first appearing in 2019.
Minister Party Premier Title TermJeremy Rockliff Liberal HodgmanMinister for Mental Health and Wellbeing 2 July 2019 – 20 January 2020Gutwein 20 January 2020 – 8 April 2022Rockliff 8 April 2022 – 11 April 2024 Roger Jaensch Liberal RockliffMinister for Mental Health and Wellbeing 23 October 2024 – 11 August 2025
See also
List of hospitals in Tasmania List of Tasmanian government agencies
References
External links