ASMOF NSW – The Doctors Union has welcomed the NSW Government’s $10.3 billion increase in health funding, investment in new hospitals and additional beds, and funding for 9,000 additional health workers, while cautioning that further action will be needed to address the workforce challenges at the centre of pressure across NSW public hospitals.
The Budget includes an $11.9 billion capital investment program to deliver 32 new and upgraded hospitals and 2,500 additional beds and treatment spaces, alongside regional investments including three new helicopter bases, additional funding for the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme, a new maternity unit at Grafton Hospital, and investment in regional specialist services.
While this investment is an important step, ASMOF NSW said it will only translate into improved patient care if NSW can attract and retain enough doctors to staff services effectively.
ASMOF NSW President Dr Nicholas Spooner said the Government needed to stop treating hospital pressure as a series of isolated Budget problems and address the structural workforce crisis that underpins it in its entirety.
“The real test of this Budget is not simply whether more money has been allocated to health, but whether it strengthens the medical workforce that underpins the public hospital system.
“NSW continues to have the lowest-paid doctors in the country and some of the most challenging working conditions. This makes it harder to retain experienced clinicians and recruit the workforce we need.
Dr Spooner said a comprehensive, long-term workforce strategy is essential.
“Addressing workforce pressures requires a coordinated approach that supports doctors throughout their careers and ensures NSW remains a competitive place to work.
“Without sustained progress on pay, conditions and staffing, it will remain challenging to build the stable workforce patients rely on.”
He acknowledged the ongoing commitment of healthcare workers across the system.
“Doctors, nurses and other health professionals have kept the public health system functioning under enormous pressure, but dedication is not a workforce plan.
“Patients need hospitals that are properly staffed, doctors who are properly supported and a workforce that is properly valued. This Budget does not go far enough to address the cause of the crisis.”
Dr Spooner said the Budget’s allocation of $26.5 million for the NSW Health Locum Agency reflected the continued reliance on short-term staffing arrangements to fill workforce shortages across the public health system.
“The continued investment in locum staffing highlights the ongoing challenges NSW faces in recruiting and retaining a permanent medical workforce.”
The NSW Auditor-General has reported that NSW Health spent more than $1.3 billion on Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) services in a single year, reflecting the growing reliance on a sessional medical workforce that functions similarly to a casual staffing pool.
“While these arrangements play a role, building a strong, permanent workforce is cheaper, more sustainable and supports continuity of care for patients.”
Dr Spooner said ensuring doctors are well rested and properly supported is critical to delivering safe patient care.
“The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding highlighted the direct link between workforce pressures, staff fatigue and patient safety, with clear evidence of the strain on doctors and the risks associated with unsafe working hours and chronic understaffing.
“When doctors are consistently stretched beyond safe limits, it increases the risk of errors and compromises the quality of care patients receive. A well-rested workforce is fundamental to a safe health system.
“Too often, the system relies on the goodwill of doctors taking on additional workload, rather than ensuring there are enough doctors to meet demand. That approach places both doctors and patients at risk.
“Ensuring doctors have manageable hours and appropriate staffing support is essential to delivering consistent, high-quality and safe patient care across NSW.”
Dr Spooner said the Budget also failed to recognise how much medical work has changed and how much more is being asked of doctors.
“Doctors are treating sicker and more complex patients, working with more advanced technology, undertaking more specialised procedures and carrying expanded governance responsibilities.
“Across all medical specialties, the skill and responsibility required of doctors have increased substantially, but their pay and conditions have not kept pace.”
Dr Spooner said clinicians had already contributed to improvements in productivity and models of care, but that ongoing reform would depend on a well-supported workforce.
“NSW has a high-performing public health system, and continued investment in its workforce will help ensure it remains sustainable into the future.
“Patients ultimately benefit from hospitals that are well-staffed, supported and resourced. This Budget is a step forward, but there is more to do to fully address workforce challenges.”
