NSW BUDGET: RECORD HEALTH BUDGET HELPS REGIONAL FAMILIES

Tuesday, 18 June 2019

Families in rural and regional NSW will benefit from a record health Budget, with new hospitals and health facilities and thousands more frontline doctors, nurses and other health workers.

The NSW Government will spend a record $26.7 billion in the 2019-20 NSW Budget ($24.0 billion recurrent expenses, $2.7 billion capital expenditure), which will see major improvements to community health services, including dental treatment, preventative measures and health protection services including immunisation and influenza prevention campaigns.

Minister for Health and Medical Research Brad Hazzard said $2.8 billion is being invested to recruit 8,300 extra frontline staff over the next four years. Almost half of these staff (45 per cent) will go to the regions.

“The NSW Government is committed to building healthy and resilient regional and rural communities,” Mr Hazzard said.

“We are making record investments in health in every corner of the state – building new hospitals, upgrading existing health facilities and expanding community health services.

“When it comes to rural health care, we are continuing our record health infrastructure program – we are focused on getting it done.”
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronwyn Taylor said providing world-class health care for people in regional NSW is a priority.

“The health and wellbeing of young people in rural and regional NSW will continue to be a focus with the investment of $4.2 million over four years into the school nurse coordinator program, as well as $11 million for Getting on Track In Time – got It! Which is a state-wide school based early intervention program to support social and emotional learning for children,” Mrs Taylor said.

“We have also enhanced crisis support services by expanding capacity at Kids Helpline by $5 million to answer an extra 18,400 calls per year. We are also trialling a crisis sms service to reach young people in their language and this is all in addition to the $8.275 million the NSW Government has today announced for drought related mental health initiatives over the next year.”