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A Select Committee has been appointed to examine the implementation of the recommendations of the Upper House inquiry into rural and regional health.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the committee will oversee the implementation of the 44 recommendations of the Upper House Inquiry.
“Every person in NSW, no matter where they live, has the right to safe, quality medical care,” Mr Park said.
“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a number of rural and regional health services since the Government was elected, and I’ll be visiting several remote health services in north west NSW next week.
“The Rural and Regional Health Inquiry, which I fought so hard to establish in opposition, highlighted the crisis facing rural, remote and regional services such as these, and this Select Committee will ensure they get the support they need to care for their local communities.”
In the inquiry’s report last year, witnesses described emergency departments without doctors and patients left to die on bathroom floors, and cooks and cleaners being made to work as carers.
Chair of the Select Committee, Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr, said healthcare was the number one issue for rural and regional communities in NSW.
“There is no doubt rural, regional and remote health is in crisis. It is time to bridge the health divide and this is an important step forward,” Dr McGirr told parliament.
“It is unacceptable that the life expectancy of those in regions is lower than those in metropolitan areas. That does not have to be. It is unacceptable that treatable health issues are not being addressed in an appropriate time.”
“We have overworked GPs. They are not treating the conditions that can be treated in time, and that puts pressure on the health system. There are delays in the health system, and our health workforce suffers trying to meet the demand.”
The committee will be able to analyse the financial performances of government agencies and compare healthcare settings from NSW and around the country.
Dr McGirr said the main task of the new committee is to make sure that those recommendations are being implemented.
“That is going to change the face of regional and rural health. I am very pleased that there is bipartisan support for the work of the committee to make sure that that happens,’ Dr McGirr said.
“I do not believe the issues will be solved without a regional health department. But I will work constructively with this Government to make sure that we do everything we can to implement the recommendations of the upper House inquiry.”
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