Delivering better healthcare, closer to home, for people living in rural, regional and remote parts of NSW

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Health, NSW Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast, and the NSW Minister for Regional Health

Media Release | 19 September 2023

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its election commitment to begin the long-term repair and structural reform of the delivery of health care services across NSW, by rebuilding our essential health services, reinvesting in frontline health workers and improving access to care.

People living in rural, regional and remote parts of NSW will have better access to high-quality healthcare as part of the 2023-24 NSW Budget.

Rebuilding our essential workforce in regional NSW:

  • $438.6 million will be invested in recruiting an extra 500 rural and regional paramedics to address the shortage of first responders and improve ambulance response times.

  • Doubling the incentive payment for healthcare workers moving to regional and remote areas from $10,000 to $20,000.

  • $572.3 million to save the jobs of 1112 nurses and midwives that were left unfunded by the former government.

  • The largest pay increase in more than a decade for NSW health workers to recruit and retain more workers and help improve the services we rely on.

  • $419.1 million to deliver the first steps towards Safe Staffing Levels in NSW hospitals to recruit an extra 1200 nurses and midwives and help address the shortage of nurses.

  • $170.8 million which will see more than 50,000 healthcare workers increase their take-home aftertax pay through better salary packaging.

  • $121.9 million over 5 years will go towards study subsidies for health workers to ensure we continue attracting graduates to the profession.

Investing in regional health infrastructure:

The 2023-24 Budget includes a significant investment for new and upgraded hospitals across the state, including $3.8 billion for new and upgraded facilities in regional NSW, including:

  • $538 million for Albury Wodonga Regional Hospital to provide safe and contemporary facilities and improve care for the cross-border community.

  • $260 million for a new Eurobodalla Hospital to deliver a sustainable, modern and purpose-built facility to support the needs of the Eurobodalla Shire.

  • $200 million for the redevelopment of Bathurst Hospital to ensure the local community and wider Central West region have access to high quality care.

  • $80 million to deliver the Moree Hospital redevelopment to support best practice models of care and provide modern facilities for patients, families, and carers.

  • $50 million investment in the Glen Innes Hospital upgrade for new contemporary facilities to meet the needs of the community into the future.

The Minns Labor Government is also delivering free parking at rural and regional hospitals at a cost of $19 million.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to supporting people living across all parts of NSW and has delivered a budget which builds the foundation for better, more reliable healthcare services in rural and regional NSW.

The Minns Labor Government’s first budget begins a new era of responsible long-term investment to rebuild our essential services and support NSW families.

Sara Johnston