Member for Barwon Roy Butler with Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park on a recent tour of the electorate. Image: supplied

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park says progress is being made to improve healthcare in the bush

The NSW Government says it is demonstrating its commitment to improving healthcare in rural and regional communities by recruiting and retaining more health workers, offering greater financial assistance for patients, and providing support to sustain the primary care sector.

“The Rural Health Inquiry highlighted the need to strengthen the regional health workforce and that’s what we’re doing through initiatives such as the Rural Health Workforce Incentives Scheme which has significantly improved the attraction and retention of health staff in rural areas," Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said.

“We made a commitment to implement all the recommendations, and I am really heartened to see we are on track to do this.

Through innovative programs like the Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) and the Rural Generalist Single Employer Pathway, the Minns Labor Government says it is enhancing access to high quality healthcare for rural, regional and remote patients.

Minister Park recently announced the release of a report detailing progress against each of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Health Outcomes and Access to Health and Hospital Services in Rural, Regional and Remote NSW.

According to Mr Park twenty five of the 44 inquiry recommendations have already been completed, with significant work underway to implement the remaining 19 - many of which are on track to be finalised this year.

"The implementation of the recommendations from the Inquiry is a key election commitment of the Minns Labor Government. Workforce initiatives to attract, train and retain health workers are filling critical gaps and providing a much-needed boost for regional communities."

Since its introduction in July 2022, the Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme has recruited 3,044 health workers and retained 11,337 health workers in some of the hardest-to-fill and critically vacant positions in rural and regional NSW.

In August 2023, the Minns Labor Government announced a doubling of the scheme - from $10,000 to $20,000 for the hardest to fill roles. Between August 2023 and August 2024, 1,936 health workers were recruited, and 3,086 health workers were retained with incentive packages.

"This incentive package includes a range of additional benefits including salary boost, sign-on bonuses and retention payments of up to $20,000 per annum, relocation assistance and housing, additional leave, and access to training and education.

“I would say worker shortages in our regions is the single biggest challenge confronting our health system.

“Accommodation is another critical factor in attracting and retaining health workers at rural and regional hospitals and why the Minns Labor Government is investing a further $200.1 million to increase key health worker accommodation across the state.”

The NSW Government says patients and their families are benefitting from improvements to IPTAAS made since the Rural Health Inquiry.

"These enhancements include increased subsidies, expanded eligibility criteria and a simplified application process and are resulting in more people accessing the assistance scheme to reduce the financial burden for those who need to travel long distances for specialist treatment. The average subsidy IPTAAS clients are receiving has increased from $319 to $467.

"The NSW Government is also supporting the sustainability of the primary care sector with innovative programs like the Rural Generalist Single Employer Pathway which trains and employs more doctors where they’re needed most. Trainees on the pathway are employed for up to four years by a regional Local Health District, while completing training in both the general practice and hospital settings."

The early response to the latest round of recruitment for the 2025 program is very positive, with preliminary offers of employment being extended to doctors for positions in the Hunter New England, Illawarra Shoalhaven, Mid North Coast, Western NSW, Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW and Northern NSW local health districts.

A further round of recruitment will open in early-October, specifically to attract more rural generalist trainees in the Far West, Murrumbidgee and Western NSW LHDs.

The establishment of Urgent Care Services across regional NSW in locations including Orange, Armidale and Goulburn help ease the pressure on busy emergency departments, and a community centred Collaborate Care approach to address local healthcare challenges have also been developed to support regional communities.

Progress on the implementation of the Rural Health Inquiry recommendations can been viewed in detail in the Progress Report.