Minister delivers NSW Health Outlook

Catholic Health Australia has co-sponsored this year’s NSW State Health Outlook, hosted by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).

The Minister for Health and Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park delivered the address at a lunch and panel event hosted by CEDA in Sydney this week.

With workforce shortages at the top of the agenda, the Minister announced an uptick in the number of workers entering the health sector between February 2023 and February 2024.

The workforce increased by some 3,000 workers including 1,200 more nurses, 150 more paramedics, 300 more doctors and over 400 more allied health workers.

“I have made rebuilding our health workforce a top priority – because when you improve the conditions of our workers, you improve health outcomes, it’s as simple as that,” Mr Park said.

“This surge in our health workforce is a promising development.

“Let’s be clear though, there’s plenty more to be done and everyone knows – from health workers to the patients they care for – there remain major structural challenges in terms of shortages and retention.

“We won’t undo 12 years of underinvestment in our health system overnight, but we’re going to work closely with our workers and their representatives every step of the way, because there’s too much at stake.

“I am very encouraged by the progress of the rollout of our health worker study subsidies, which will be landing in the mailboxes of students as early as next week.

“But this is just of a comprehensive suite of measures to build a capable, engaged and supported health workforce.”

Several Catholic Health Australia members heard directly from the Minister as he outlined the government’s priorities across the health portfolio, including reforms to models of care.

“We need administrators, clinicians and frontline staff to start thinking about different ways to access health care,” he said, while declaring the Emergency Department was “no longer the front door”.

The Minister said there were opportunities for more Hospital in the Home and Virtual Care – and signalled a stronger relationship with the private hospital sector and faith-based organisations, whom he said played a critical role in supporting the public health system.

“We can’t do what we do without them,” he said.

The Minister said it was important to explore how the private hospital sector and faith-based organisations could scale up the new models of care, and planning for a forum was underway.

CEDA’s Public Health Series brings State Health Ministers from across the country back to the CEDA platform to discuss their priorities, forward spending and plans to safeguard the health of communities across the country.