General News
28 September, 2024
New inquiry to examine health reform improvements
Have the last two years of health reform resulted in meaningful change for the many people living in remote, rural, and regional communities in NSW? That’s the question that a select committee on remote, rural, and regional health has recently adopted a new inquiry to examine whether there have been any improvements in the regional health system since a 2022 report.
The committee is inviting stakeholders to make a submission to this inquiry. The inquiry will focus on whether any progress has been made on recommendations that require the NSW and Australian governments to collaborate on health reform. The committee will also review progress made on recommendations that involve NSW government consultation with regional communities to improve local healthcare.
Over the past year, the committee has been reviewing the implementation of the 44 recommendations handed down in a 2022 Legislative Council (LC) report. This will be the committee’s third and final inquiry into the progress made on the recommendations.
“The committee has been working hard since it was established last year to ensure that the government continues to be held to account in improving the dire state of the regional healthcare system,” said committee chair, Dr. Joe McGirr. Previously, the committee has examined how much progress has been made to address workforce challenges, workplace culture, and funding in the regional health system, in addition to improving the delivery of specialist services like maternity care, oncology, and drug and alcohol services.
“Now, we’re turning our attention to areas that are reliant on co-operation and partnership between our state and the Commonwealth, in addition to the NSW government’s consultation with remote, rural, and regional communities.”
“If you’re a healthcare provider, professional, or advocate, the committee wants to know if you’ve noticed an improvement in these areas since the 2022 report, or if you think more progress needs to be made,” Dr. McGirr said.
The committee is also inviting stakeholders to provide any final observations on progress towards the other LC recommendations, including those the committee looked at in its two previous inquiries. Submissions close in November. Stakeholders are advised that the committee’s focus is on the implementation of the LC Portfolio Committee number two recommendations. The committee is not seeking submissions that comment on remote, rural, and regional health more broadly.
