Regional and rural NSW will benefit from the $10.8 billion statewide health infrastructure spend over four years announced in today’s Budget, including $3.2 billion in 2021-22.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said in this financial year, $900 million will be invested in health capital works across regional NSW, delivering better facilities and more jobs.

“This investment will ensure more people can be cared for closer to home in new and upgraded facilities which is great news for patients and for health staff,” Mr Barilaro said

“More than 70 of the 110 health capital works projects underway in NSW are in rural and regional areas, and this record funding will ensure new works can get underway.”

The $3.2 billion in 2021-22 includes the commencement of new works at:

• Moree Hospital at an estimated total cost of $80 million;
• Gunnedah Hospital, at an estimated total cost of $53 million;
• Muswellbrook Hospital Stage 3, at an estimated total cost of $45 million; and
• Wentworth Hospital, at an estimated total cost of $30 million.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the NSW Government is working hard to ensure the millions of patients cared for in our hospitals each year have the best facilities possible.

“Whether you’re in up in Coffs or down in Cooma, in Tumut or the Tweed, at Wagga or Wyong, we are building better health services across this vast state,” Mr Hazzard said.

“Since 2011, the NSW Government has completed more than 170 health capital projects, with more than 110 completed in regional areas and still more works are to come.”

The 2021-22 Budget continues capital investment in regional and rural areas including:

• Additional funding of $15 million for clinical service enhancement at Goulburn Hospital, bringing the total investment to $165 million;
• $255.9 million in 2021-22 to continue the record health infrastructure investment in Albury, Coffs Harbour, Cooma, Cowra, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Eurobodalla, Glen Innes, Grafton, Griffith, Inverell, John Hunter, Leeton, Lismore, Manning, Shoalhaven, Tumut, Wagga Wagga, and Wyong Hospitals;
• $353.4 million to continue building new hospitals at Macksville, Maitland, Shellharbour and Tweed;
• Approximately $9 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;
• $102.3 million in 2021-22 to continue the $232.1 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration Program (Stages 1 and 2);
• The continued delivery of six regional hospital car parks at Dubbo, Maitland, Port Macquarie, New Shellharbour, Tweed, and Wagga Wagga hospitals.

In addition to the unprecedented capital spending, NSW Health is also investing:

• $36.4 million over four years for 57 mental health Response and Recovery Specialists to provide assertive outreach support for communities and coordination with local services at the time of a disaster or crisis, and during the ongoing recovery phase;
• $34.0 million over four years to convert NSW Ambulance paramedics to Intensive Care Paramedics, with 203 to be located in regional NSW; and
• In Fixed-wing Air Ambulance Services, enhancements to the specialist palliative care workforce in regional and rural NSW, and funding Tresillian for six Regional Family Care Centres and five ‘Tresillian 2U’ mobile vans.