Hundreds of regional and rural frontline health staff will be able to upskill and deliver palliative care services to their localcommunities under new Budget measures outlined by the Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard and Parliamentary Secretary for Rural and Regional Health, Leslie Williams.

“We are tackling the need for specialist training through training nurses and allied health frontline workers who currently work inour rural and regional communities, and also boosting funding for additional specialist doctors and nurses for new positions in regional health districts,” Mr Hazzard said.

Mrs Williams said the new scholarships and also funding for staff to undertake training would make a difference as more peoplewould be able to access specialist palliative care expertise locally.

“We are asking nurses and other allied health staff to come forward and apply for the scholarships and the training. This is a winfor professional development of our health workforce and a huge win for local communities,” Mrs Williams said.

The NSW Government’s strong economic performance has enabled the record investment in palliative care services – anadditional $100 million over the next four years, including $17.4 million in the 2017-18 Budget.

The 2017-18 State Budget will include:

• palliative care training for 300 nurses and allied health staff ($900,000)
• 300 scholarships for rural and regional staff to enhance palliative care skills ($300,000)
• an additional six palliative care specialists in rural and regional areas ($2.4 million)
• two specialist positions to provide relief to other specialists in rural and regional areas ($795,000)
• an additional 30 palliative care nurses providing care in hospitals, homes and nursing homes ($5 million)
• developing  and  implementing  comprehensive  and  integrated  palliative care services, in line with community expectationsand need ($1 million)
• improving  medication  management  for  palliative  care  patients  through community pharmacy initiatives ($200,000).