Labor says LGH kitchen move should be taken off the menu

Any attempt to relocate kitchen services from the Launceston General Hospital would undermine patient care and food quality, Labor says.

Image supplied by Labor shows a Royal Hobart Hospital meal. The party says moving catering off-site reduces quality.

Any attempt to relocate kitchen services from the Launceston General Hospital would undermine patient care and food quality, Labor says.

Shadow Health Minister Ella Haddad accused the government of planning to move the hospitals kitchens off-site — a move she said had led to a shocking drop in the quality of food at the Royal Hospital Hospital.

“The 2018 Master Plan promised that food services would stay here on site at the LGH as part of the redevelopment,” Ms Haddad said.

“Jacquie Petrusma, the new minister, needs to step in and guarantee northern Tasmanians that they won’t be moving food services off-site.

“Here at Launceston, moving food services off site will affect more than 94 jobs, and it will also inevitably lead to a decrease in the quality and nutrition and value of the food.”

Labor's Ella Haddad speaks outside the Launceston General Hospital on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

Ms Haddad said moving catering operations off-site had reduced the quality of food at the Royal Hobart Hospital and she was worried the Launceston General Hospital would go down the same path.

“Moving food services off site will mean moving to a cook and chill system, which means food will be reheated here,” she said.

“We already know that that operates in other areas of the state, and it does mean a decrease and a reduction in the quality of the food that’s served to patients.”

Health and Community Services Union delegate Ryan Taylor said he was concerned at the effect food prepared off-site could have on patient outcomes.

“If you are a sick patient, you need to be eating healthily … and if the food is of a low quality, you’re going to be less inclined to eat, and that could impact your recovery time, it could impact the hospital with bed block, if people are not moving through the hospital system quickly enough, there could be, you know, secondary comorbidities because of increased recovery time and increased time in hospital.

“I think that’s a real concern to staff that patient outcomes may deteriorate because of this decision.”

Health Minister Jacquie Petrusma said no final decision had been made on the location of catering services.

“We are spending hundreds of millions of dollars into modernising and improving health services as well as food services and kitchen services at the Launceston General Hospital,” she said.

“So I assure Tasmanians, there will be no downgrading in quality.

“We’ve got no intention of privatising the kitchen service or privatising the food services at the Launceston General Hospital.”