Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) has welcomed more than 20 new graduate nurses and midwives providing a boost to local health services across Far West NSW.
FWLHD’s intake includes three local nurses, in addition to nurses and midwives relocating from elsewhere in NSW and interstate.
The new nursing and midwifery graduates join Far West LHD under its GradStart program, which will provide them with opportunities in a variety of clinical settings to gain experience and consolidate skills in areas such as emergency departments, acute hospital services, maternity services, hospital clinics, and health care services delivered in community settings.
Graduates will work across multidisciplinary teams alongside experienced staff, who will support them to gain skills and knowledge in one of the world's best health systems.
Ms Wendy Gleeson, FWLHD’s Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery welcomed the new graduate nurses and midwives to the Far West and expressed best wishes as they start their new careers.
“This is an exciting time for all our new nurses and midwives and also for the Far West LHD as we welcome them to our workforce,” Ms Gleeson said.
“We are encouraged they have chosen the Far West LHD to begin their nursing and midwifery careers and equally confident they will have a positive and valuable experience whilst here.”
“The experiences the graduates will gain is invaluable and unique to the Far West. They gain first-hand experience of working in our remote facilities and engaging with and living within communities, which we hope will encourage them to consider a career in our region,’ Ms Gleeson said.
The GradStart program places nurses and midwives in Broken Hill, Wentworth, Wilcannia, Tibooburra and Balranald health facilities and introduces an extended 6 month placement in the Broken Hill paediatrics ward. The longer paediatrics placement is part of a Metro-Rural Exchange Program whereby two new graduates have six-month rotations in the local paediatric ward and at the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network to provide a unique experience with remote and metropolitan healthcare.
The FWLHD already has two other successful Metro-Rural Exchange Programs with Central Coast LHD through the Gosford – Broken Hill Exchange Program and South East Sydney LHD via the Sydney Eye Hospital and Broken Hill Exchange Program.
The graduates will undergo orientation this week and meet staff, mentors, and managers who will support their transition from undergraduate university student to registered nurse or midwife. The orientation also includes NSW Ambulance training for those graduates working in remote sites.
The Broken Hill Health Service Redevelopment has reached two significant milestones with the completion of the first stage of the $12 million Emergency Department (ED) upgrade and the building structure complete for the new Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit.
Patients, families, and carers are invited to nominate exceptional local Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) staff members, as part of the District’s 15 th annual Staff Recognition and Health Innovation Awards.
The popular school-based apprenticeship and traineeship (SBAT) program has commenced at Far West Local Health District for 2025, with 11 students taking part.
