Understanding Tasmania’s health needs

Before Primary Health Tasmania can take action to address the health needs of Tasmanians – whether that’s through commissioning services, developing resources, or collaborating on system reform – we first need to understand what those needs are.

Our funder – the Australian Government – directs the broad focus of much of our activity by assigning priority areas such as mental health and Aboriginal health. But the Government understands local knowledge is important, and leaves it up to us to decide what models will work best locally.

Assessing needs and determining local priorities is a key part of Primary Health Tasmania’s work. We do this by collating and analysing data, including through our annual needs assessment activities. We do it by consulting the experts – including service providers and consumers. This analysis and consultation paves the way for us to make informed decisions about using finite resources in a way that’s going to have the biggest positive impact for those with the greatest need.