The NSW Rural Health Plan: Towards 2021 strengthened the capacity of rural health services to provide world class connected and seamless care for people living in regional, rural and remote NSW.
Building on significant achievements made in rural health services, the plan set directions and strategies to improve rural health services and aligned with the NSW State Health Plan: Towards 2021.
Key rural health issues in the plan were identified via extensive consultation with rural clinicians, service providers and communities, as well as state and local government representatives. The plan was also supported by the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Rural Health.
The NSW Rural Health Plan Towards 2021: Final Progress Review was completed in April 2022. The review summarises progress across NSW Health in implementing the plan, reflecting on key achievements and future directions for rural health policy.
NSW Health is beginning the process of developing our next Regional Health Plan for the period between 2022 and 2032.
We will be consulting with regional communities, health staff, an extensive range of stakeholders and the new Regional Health Ministerial Advisory Panel to inform the plan.
The plan will be an opportunity to address issues raised in the report published by the NSW Parliament’s Upper House inquiry into health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW (the Inquiry) and will be a long-term strategy to ensure the health needs of regional, rural, and remote communities are met.
In February 2022, the Inquiry concluded its public hearing schedule. The report from the Inquiry was tabled on 5 May 2022. The Government response will to be provided to Parliament within six months.
NSW Health is committed to responding to the Rural Health Inquiry and to continuously improving health care services for rural, remote and regional communities.