The State’s healthcare workforce is to be boosted by more than 10,000 additional staff over the next four years, with recruitment underway to fill the full-time equivalent roles.
Announced by Premier Dominic Perrottet, 7,674 workers are to be recruited in the first year (2022-23) to help ease pressure on COVID-fatigued health staff and fast-track more elective surgery for patients.
“Everyone in NSW is indebted to our health workers for their selfless efforts throughout the pandemic, remembering for a long time there was no vaccine and they risked their lives each day to care for patients,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The additional staff will include nurses and midwives, doctors, paramedics, pathologists and scientific staff, pharmacists and allied health professionals, as well as support and ancillary staff who ensure the continued operations of NSW hospitals and the wider public health system.”
In addition to the 10,148 hospital and health services roles, the Premier announced NSW Ambulance is to recruit 2,128 new staff and open 30 more stations in the coming four years.
He said the funding, allocated in the 2022-23 Budget, provided for 1,858 extra paramedics, 210 ambulance support staff, 52 nurses and eight doctors.
Mr Perrottet said the funding would result in NSW Ambulance having the largest paramedic workforce in Australia.
“The investment will help increase capacity both in terms of available paramedics to respond to patients, and available staff to help answer the record volume of calls,” he said.
Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard said the new stations would be delivered to Warilla, Kincumber, Lisarow, Gateshead, Swansea, Cherrybrook, Raby and Narellan in the coming financial year, with 22 more stations to be delivered over the following three years.
