Expansion to North West Tasmania underway
Laura Wiggers, Clifford Craig Foundation’s Events & Fundraising Lead, at Devonport Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Women’s Summit in May at the paranaple Convention Centre.
Ahead of our official launch in Burnie on 7 August, Clifford Craig Foundation’s North West expansion is underway. Joining the team in March 2025, Event & Fundraising Lead, Laura Wiggers, has introduced the charity to the local business community at Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry events, and the Tasmanian Rural Health Conference last month. By expanding our health promotion and medical research activities to North West Tasmania (NW), the Clifford Craig Foundation aims to make a lasting impact on healthcare for the region.
Our plan over the next three years is to:
- Increase our presence and impact in the region.
- Foster partnerships with Hospitals North West and other key stakeholders.
- Establish a sustainable funding model to support medical research and other health education initiatives.
- Provide funding for medical equipment and patient resources.
To achieve this, the Foundation relies on the support of the local community, stakeholders and businesses. If you are interested in supporting our vision for the region through becoming an event partner or volunteer, please contact us.
To stay across upcoming NW events and activities, keep an eye on the Clifford Craig Foundation social media pages, or the Events section of our website.
Laura Wiggers and Vanessa Cahoon meeting Tasmanian Rural Health Conference delegates at the paranaple Convention Centre in May.
Hospital fundraising
One of the most important things we do at the Clifford Craig Foundation is support our region’s hospitals through fundraising and offering localised research opportunities. This will be a primary focus of our expansion to the NW.
The NW population is approximately 120,033 people, with two regional hospitals. Although the NW has a smaller population compared to Northern and Southern Tasmania, its distance spans approximately 185 kms, which is around 2 hours and 24 minutes by car. Therefore, having two primary hospitals helps to ensure members of the community can access a hospital in a timely manner, including locals living on King Island.
North West Regional Hospital
The North West Regional Hospital is located in Burnie and was built in 1994. It is the main acute care facility for the region catering for emergency resuscitation, surgery and intensive care. As North West Regional Hospital is classed as a secondary level service, sometimes patients might be transferred to a tertiary hospital for certain injuries and illnesses. Visit the Department of Health Tasmania website for a list of the services available at North West Regional Hospital.
Mersey Community Hospital
The Mersey Community Hospital is located in Latrobe and has been operating since 1961. In 2007 the State Government made the decision to downgrade the hospital, redirecting its intensive care unit to the North West Regional Hospital. Mersey Community Hospital provides sub-acute, emergency and day surgery services. Visit the Department of Health Tasmania website for a list of the services available at Mersey Community Hospital.
Despite being a smaller hospital, the Mersey Community Hospital works closely with other hospitals and primary health services to support patients across the region.