Healthcare workers are taking up incentives to move to regional NSW, or stay in our community, with more than 4,700 workers accessing the program which is future proofing healthcare in rural and regional NSW.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s $883 million regional health workforce incentive scheme is making a real difference.
“Thanks to this ground-breaking incentive program, we have seen 110 healthcare workers attracted or retained in the Cootamundra Electorate, which is a huge boost to healthcare in our region,” Ms Cooke said.
“Some of these retained recruits include 8 Registered Nurses in Cootamundra, 4 in Harden, 7 in West Wyalong, 8 in Cowra, 12 in Grenfell and 5 in Coolamon.”
“We have 7 Pathology staff in Cowra, 8 in Cootamundra and 4 in Young.”
“In enrolled Nurses we have 11 in Grenfell, 4 in West Wyalong and 6 in Harden.”
“This package is helping us retain the dedicated, hardworking staff who are already valued members of our community. These people call our region home and we are doing our best to make sure it continues to be their forever home.”
The $883 million incentives investment includes 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, and
- HECS incentive package for allied health professionals.
