Proposed Regional Health Workforce Incentive Scheme

The NSW government has announced an $883 million regional health workforce incentive scheme as part of next week’s state budget.

The $883 million investment will include funding for:

• Tailored incentive programs for healthcare staff to take up and retain positions in regional, rural and remote NSW – which can include a tailored incentive package of up to $10,000 plus additional leave, relocation reimbursement, professional development and study assistance
• Increased training positions for nursing graduates, nurse practitioners and medical interns
• Expanding rural generalist and procedural training positions
• Career development and secondment opportunities for healthcare workers based in regional, rural and remote NSW, including for those based in metropolitan areas to ‘try out’ working in regional NSW
• Increased numbers of Aboriginal nurse cadetships
• HECS incentive package for allied health professionals.

Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman said “This announcement is about implementing bold new measures to attract key health workers to work in our local health facilities and retaining that workforce.

“Locals know that we have the best place to live, work and play, and this package will encourage graduate nurses, doctors and other clinical staff to not only take up a job in our region but set up their lives here,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

The package will target critical and hard to fill roles to ensure the operation of regional health facilities, including nurses and midwives, paramedics, pathologists and scientific staff, pharmacists and allied health professionals, as well as support and ancillary staff.

Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said the package will be used to deliver innovative, bespoke incentives for staff so they move to or stay in regional NSW.

“Hard-to-fill, critical roles in rural and remote locations can be incentivised by offering health workers recruitment and retention incentive packages worth up to $10,000 per year plus assistance with accommodation and relocation and some other non-financial incentives,” Mrs Taylor said.

Speaking of the expansion of training positions for nurse practitioner roles in rural locations that struggle to attract doctors, Mrs Taylor said “These are highly skilled nursing professionals that can operate autonomously in complex clinical settings. The expansion of these training positions will see people in rural NSW receiving the highest level of quality care and a brighter future in terms of health outcomes.”

• Topics:

• Government Grants / Funding
• Health & Wellbeing