Western NSW LHD year in review

• 246, 676 square kilometres, approximately one third of the state's land area
• 22 Local Government Areas, 7 classified as remote or very remote
• 284, 285 people, approximately 3.6% of the state's population
• 41, 339 identify as First Nations people, or 14.5% of our population
• 80.5 years life expectancy at birth, compared to NSW average of 83.3
• 38 years median age, compared to NSW average of 36
• 2 births per woman, compared to NSW average of 1.5
• 5.5% projected population increase by 2030
• 44% projected population increase in people aged 70 and over between 2021 and 2041
• 83% of our population currently lives south of Gilgandra, forecast to increase to 90% in the next 15 years
• Remote communities forecast to halve in size in the next year 15 years, while regional cities grow substantially

• 18% of adults smoke daily, compared to 12% across NSW
• 57% partake in sufficient physical activity levels, compared to 63% across NSW
• 38% of adults partake in risky alcohol behaviour, compared to 34% across NSW
• 92% of women receive antenatal care by 20 weeks gestation, compared to 93% across NSW
• 14% of children are developmentally vulnerable in 2 or more domains, compared to 10% across NSW
• 69% of adults are overweight or obese, compared to 58% across NSW
• The rate of people presenting to emergency departments as a result of mental illness is 54% higher than the rest of NSW

• Geographic barriers associated with population spread and uneven population growth
• Vulnerable communities needing to travel to access healthcare but not always having the infrastructure, or social or financial resources to easily do so
• Continual increase in demand for healthcare services, and the projected future demand for healthcare services
• Building a strong and sustainable workforce to support health services and communities into the future
• Ongoing difficulties recruiting and retaining the required workforce, and supporting remote communities with increasingly limited access to GPs and primary care
• Adaptation to, and expansion of innovative ways of delivering healthcare such as virtual care services
• Caring for an increasing ageing population with complex health needs
• Shrinking populations in rural and remote communities, and rapidly increasing populations in larger regional cities and towns
• Financial limitations impacting the response to service demands of communities
• Changing environment and environmental disasters such as drought, floods and bushfire

• 8,674 total staff:
  • 42.3% nursing
  • 15.1% enabling
  • 11.7% medical
  • 6.2% allied health
  • 23.9% other
• 1 in 12 staff identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• 56% permanent staff

• Delivered the state's first Remote Mobile CT Service,  significantly improving access to the latest diagnostic imaging technology in remote areas of the District.
• Opened the Centre for Rural Education, Simulation and Training Simulation Centre at Wellington, strengthening staff training and development opportunities locally.
• Formally opened Bathurst Hospital's new MRI suite, improving access to diagnostic imaging technology for the local and surrounding communities.
• Established and progressed the Western NSW Clinical Trial Support Unit, allowing patients to access clinical trials previously only available in metropolitan areas.
• Completed refurbishments of five palliative care projects in rural areas of the District, creating home-like environments and improving comfort for patients and their families.
• Enhanced cancer care services at Orange by establishing a new, state-of-the-art radiotherapy machine to make treatments more precise and streamlined. 
• Established a new Dementia Awareness and Support Team to support people living with dementia and their families, and to assist navigation of care pathways.

• Supported Health Infrastructure to significantly progress the $200 million Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment including the release of the Master Plan and Concept Design.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to release the Concept and Schematic designs for the $110.2 million Cowra Hospital Redevelopment, following the announcement of an additional $40 million the 2023-23 NSW Budget.
• Progressed planning and construction on Key Health Worker Accommodation projects at Warren, Collarenebri, Walgett, Baradine, Condobolin, Tullamore, Narromine, Trundle and Wellington, completing and delivering several.
• Secured the preferred site for, and progressed planning on the Dubbo Residential Rehabilitation Centre, which will support people in the community to overcome addiction.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to progress the Blayney Multipurpose Service Redevelopment, which is currently out for main works tender.
• Progressed the Canowindra HealthOne project, with redevelopment planning to begin following the announcement of an additional $2.3 million in the 2023-24 NSW Budget.
• Continued and progressed planning on Orange Hospital's solar project, the second largest  solar PV installation in any government facility in NSW.
• Supported Health Infrastructure to complete the $30 million Dubbo Hospital carpark project, to support patients and staff following the $306.3 million Dubbo Hospital Redevelopment.

• Appointed the District's first Chief Medical Officer. Professor Mark Arnold began in the role in January 2023, putting an emphasis on clinical practice standards and long-term development of the medical workforce.
• Continued leading in the roll-out of the NSW Government's Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, to support the recruitment and retention of staff to hard-to-fill and critical roles.
• Implemented the District's first Allied Health Rural Graduate Program, to support 15 recently-graduated professionals to consolidate and grow skills across a range of clinical areas.
• Increased the number of New Graduate Nurse positions available in the District in 2023 and welcomed record numbers, with a priority focus on recruiting to positions at small, rural facilities.
• Developed and established plan for all New Graduate Nurses to be employed on a permanent basis from 2024 onward.
• Launched our District's first Environmental Sustainability Strategy (PDF 3.8MB), to outline roadmap towards best practices in environmental sustainability in health service delivery.

Our Awards

• The 2023 WNSWLHD Nursing and Midwifery Awards were announced in May this year. Recipients are nominated for the state-wide awards.
• The 2022 WNSWLHD Awards were celebrated at an event in September last year. The 2023 Awards were announced in August this year.
• The 2022 WNSWLHD Allied Health Awards were announced late last year. Recipients are nominated for the state-wide awards.

NSW Health Awards

• The Welcome Baby to Bourke Ceremony was announced as one of three finalists for the Excellence in Aboriginal Healthcare Award, in the 2023 NSW Health Awards.
• Garima Nepal, from Coonabarabran Health Service, was announced as a finalist in the New to Practice Nurse/Midwife of the Year Award, in the 2023 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.
• Stacey Denny, from Gilgandra Multipurpose Service, was announced as the joint winner of the New to Practice Nurse/Midwife of the Year in the 2022 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.

NSW Premier's Awards

• The District's Virtual Rural Generalist Service (VRGS) team was announced as the winner of the 2022 NSW Premier's Award for Excellence in Digital Innovation.

Other notable Award winners

• Paediatric nurse Dominique Spork was announced as the winner of the Humpty Dumpty Foundation's Michelle Beets Award for Inspirational Paediatric Care in 2022.
• Former Executive Director of Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Donna Stanley was announced as the winner of the University of NSW's 2022 Australian Mental Health Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Prize.