11th June, 2024
Judy Hannan, the Member for Wollondilly, has welcomed the NSW government's announcement of $274 million for the Essential Health Services Fund to boost staff at new and upgraded sites across the state including Bowral and District Hospital.
“I have been advocating for more healthcare workers for Bowral Hospital since I was elected, and I am pleased to see the NSW government has responded to the needs of the community that I have brought to their attention.”
Bowral and District Hospital serves the community in a wide area of the Wollondilly Electorate including the Shires of Wollondilly and Wingecarribee, but also treats patients from surrounding areas as well as interstate and overseas visitors. Bowral and District Hospital has been undergoing upgrades for many years, but there have been delays and lack of delivery on promised services and staff.
“The omission of the former government to fund more nursing staff at Bowral Hospital was a gross oversight and the impacts of that have been felt acutely by the community.”
“There is no point in delivering infrastructure or buildings without the staff to run them. We have only one hospital in the entire electorate, and it is imperative that it meets the needs of not only the current population but the population growth that is coming.”
The Essential Health Services Fund will address the increased demand in health services due to the ageing population and population growth by various measures including implementing safe staff levels, making over 1100 temporary nurses permanent, increasing regional paramedics by 500, removing the wages cap and introducing subsidies for health workers. All of which will help to create a health services workforce that is properly staffed and funded, allowing nurses to get on with their jobs with the working conditions they deserve.
“Our essential workers are just that - essential. We will all need to access health care at some stage of our lives, and while all healthcare workers are important, we all know just how much the work of nurses has been undervalued in recent years. It is time to turn that around, and ensuring that our hospitals are properly staffed is a step in the right direction.”
Media: [email protected] or Benn Banasik 0434 832 636