Budget delivers health building boom for rural and regional NSW

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the significant investment in health capital works in the 2022-23 NSW Budget would deliver better health facilities for patients and their families, more jobs, and improved working environments for doctors, nurses and support staff.

“This investment will ensure more of our regional communities in New South Wales can be cared for closer to home in new and upgraded health facilities, a win-win for patients and our highly valued health staff,” Mr Toole said.

“Importantly, at least 90 of the more than 130 health capital works projects under way in New South Wales are in rural and regional areas. This record funding will mean we can turn the shovel on even more new works in coming months.”

The 2022-23 NSW Budget includes funding for two new major redevelopments at Grafton Base Hospital and Bathurst Hospital. This funding is in addition to other major works announced previously as part of the $500 million investment into regional health services including redevelopments or upgrades in Cessnock, Temora, Albury, Finley, Maitland, Batemans Bay, Forster-Tuncurry and Broken Hill.

Regional Health Minister Bronnie Taylor said the NSW Government was committed to ensuring the millions of patients cared for in hospitals and communities each year would have the best experience possible.

“Whether you’re in up in the Tweed or down in Eurobodalla, in Finley or in Grafton, at Wentworth or Goulburn, the NSW Government is building better health services for your community,” Mrs Taylor said.

“Since 2011, the NSW Government has built or upgraded more than 180 health facilities, with more than 120 completed in regional and rural areas and even more works on the horizon.”

The 2022-23 NSW Budget will continue major capital investment in regional and rural areas including:

• Additional funding of $60 million for clinical service enhancement at the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, bringing the total investment to $260 million
• Additional funding of $40 million for Cowra Hospital, bringing the total investment to $110.2 million
• Additional funding of $30 million for Glen Innes Hospital, bringing the total investment to $50 million
• $282.4 million in 2022-23 to continue the record health infrastructure investment in Coffs Harbour, Cooma, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Goulburn, Griffith, Gunnedah, John Hunter, Leeton, Lismore, Manning, Moree, Muswellbrook, Shoalhaven, Tumut, Wagga Wagga, Wentworth, and Wyong hospitals
• $299.4 million to continue building and finalising new hospitals at Maitland, Shellharbour and Tweed
• $3.6 million towards the ongoing delivery of the $296.5 million Multipurpose Services (MPS) Program to provide a range of health and aged-care services for communities in small and remote rural areas
• $68.1 million in 2021-22 to continue the $232.1 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration Program (Stages 1 and 2)
• The continued delivery of six hospital car parks at Dubbo, Maitland, Port Macquarie, Shellharbour, Tweed and Wagga Wagga hospital

 NSW Health is also investing $75.3 million to deliver modern, sustainable accommodation for health workers close to health facilities in the Hunter New England, Western NSW, Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW and Far West Local Health Districts.