Record $30.2 billion for health care in NSW

NSW Health has received $30.2 billion in today’s Budget, demonstrating the NSW Government’s commitment to ensuring world-class health services for the community.

More than $3 billion will be invested this year to build and redevelop hospitals and health facilities across NSW. This is in addition to the more than $27 billion in recurrent funding.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the record investment demonstrates the NSW Government’s commitment to the health of its people.

“Since March 2011, recurrent funding for the NSW public health system has increased by almost $11.7 billion, up from $15.5 billion in 2010-11. That’s an extraordinary increase of more than 75 per cent,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We continue to invest in patient-centred care, with brand new and upgraded facilities, the latest in cutting edge technologies and an ever-expanding health workforce.”

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the Budget reflects the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to create healthy communities by bringing first-class facilities closer to home.

“Purpose designed hospital and health facilities drive improved health outcomes and experiences for patients, their families and our dedicated health staff,” Mr Hazzard said.

Key Highlights of the Budget include:

$1.1 billion to continue the state’s response to COVID-19, including:

$340.0 million to fund personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement and associated warehouse costs to keep our frontline workers safe;
$261.3 million for COVID-19 vaccine distribution
$200.0 million for pop-up clinics, testing and contact tracing
$145.4 million for returning travelers in quarantine requiring medical assistance;
$80 million to continue additional elective surgery
$30.0 million for the ongoing enhanced level of cleaning within health facilities
This takes the total commitment to the health system to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to more than $4 billion since March 2020.

$159.3 million in 2021-22 to fund services in newly constructed hospitals scheduled to open in 2021-22.
More than $214.3 million to boost NSW Ambulance services, including:

$126 million over four years to improve NSW Ambulance operations through a modern, integrated facility at Sydney Olympic Park;
$54.3 million recurrent expenses over four years to enable NSW Ambulance to secure an improved mix of aircraft, including jet aircraft, to improve patient safety and access to emergency care;
$34.0 million over four years to convert 246 paramedics to Intensive Care Paramedics, of which 80 per cent will be in regional New South Wales;
Upgrade of in-ambulance defibrillators that improve electronic medical record integration capabilities between NSW Ambulance and hospital emergency departments across the state and especially in regional areas in 2021-22.

$109.5 million over four years to develop 25 ‘Safeguards’ – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Crisis Teams across NSW to provide services to children and adolescents with moderate to severe mental health issues and their families/carers;
$82.8 million over four years to continue strengthening specialist palliative and end of life care, including improving community-based care, enhancing hospital services, consumer support, the regional and rural workforce and providing state supported scholarships in palliative care medicine;
$36.4 million over four years for 57 mental health Response and Recovery Specialists across regional and rural New South Wales to provide assertive outreach support for communities, and coordination with local services at the time of a disaster or crisis, and during the ongoing recovery phase;
$21.6 million over four years to provide a state-wide Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implementation (TAVI) service for high risk patients, including those in rural and remote areas of NSW;
$12.2 million over two years to fund Tresillian for six Regional Family Care Centres as well as five ‘Tresillian 2U vans’ and staffing for the Macksville residential unit;
$8.6 million over four years to support community care for people with movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s Disease by delivering specialist nurses and allied health staff in 15 Local Health Districts. This package also includes funding for Parkinson’s NSW to support their InfoLine service as well as additional teaching, training and capacity building;
$7.7 million over four years to pilot a new model of care for children and young people with behavioural disorders including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in two regional Local Health Districts;
$3.0 million towards the establishment of ACON’s LGBTQ+ health centre to improve access to primary and community-based healthcare.

NSW Health will invest $10.8 billion on capital infrastructure over the next four years with a program of $3.2 billion in 2021-22. This record investment will ensure the 29 new and upgraded hospitals and health facilities announced prior to the 2019 state election will commence before March 2023. The funding also includes:

$327 million for new works commencing in 2021-22 including nine hospital upgrades or redevelopments, two major Information Communication Technology projects, establishment of a HealthOne at Canowindra, and a number of NSW Ambulance related projects;
Hospital upgrades and redevelopments including:

$45 million for the Muswellbrook Hospital Stage 3 Redevelopment;
an additional $50 million for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network at Randwick
an additional $15 million for Goulburn Hospital and commencement of the Ryde, Rouse Hill, Moree, Gunnedah, and Wentworth Hospital Redevelopments
This investment also includes funding in 2021-22 to progress the $10 million NSW paediatric cardiac enhancements across the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.

Of this record investment, almost $2.5 billion will be allocated across the State to continue Health’s record capital program which includes 37 hospital upgrades or redevelopments (with four new hospitals) and eight regional and metropolitan car parks currently being built.

In addition, the 2021-22 Budget includes $280.2 million for Information Communication Technology projects, $80 million for the asset refurbishment and replacement program and $109 million for works funded by local health districts and specialty health networks through the Locally Funded Initiatives Program.

Hospital upgrades and redevelopments in progress include: