After more than 100 days of Labor being in power where there was little to no movement for regional and rural health, there is optimism among members of the Minns government that progress will be made.
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This comes from the NSW Government's proposal to expand the single employer model for doctors, which has been approved by its federal counterpart.
The State Government is putting its medical recruitment hopes in the model which was trialled in the Murrumbidgee region.
The model is designed to provide a pathway for doctors wanting to become rural generalists during their training with the NSW Government able to access exemptions for as many as 80 trainees a year.
The Government said the model would give improved access to local healthcare services to people across rural, regional and remote NSW and believes the initiative - the pilot for which was implemented by the previous state government - would achieve this by making it more attractive for junior doctors to enter the rural generalist training pathway.
Rural generalists are GPs who provide primary care services, emergency medicine and have training in additional skills like obstetrics, anaesthetics or mental health services.
While visiting Dubbo last Friday, NSW Premier Chris Minns said the medical staffing shortage was proving to be a difficult issue to solve.
"I want to be honest with communities right across NSW, this is one of the most profound challenges the state faces," he said.
Money is part of it, but it's also accommodation and attracting the next generation of doctors to relocate to regional NSW.
- NSW Premier Chris Minns.
"In the last budget (2022) there was $800 million committed to staffing for hard to place communities, particularly in the state's Central West and while I think it's made a difference in major hubs like Dubbo, for the next ring of communities out, we've still got major issues.
"Money is part of it, but it's also accommodation and attracting the next generation of doctors to relocate to regional NSW. And, I guess, to talk up the experience of being a regional doctor.
"In many ways, that lived experience is different to working in a metropolitan hospital because you come across a whole range of different procedures."
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Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park was hopeful the model would attract more doctors to the bush.
"Recruitment and retention of a primary health workforce is a major challenge," he said.
"This partnership with the Commonwealth Government means more of our regional and rural communities are set to benefit.
"This announcement will ensure the creation of attractive and secure training opportunities to foster the next generation of rural generalist doctors in NSW."
Mr Park said the government had also established a select committee into rural and regional health, which would oversee the implementation of the 44 recommendations of last year's inquiry into regional healthcare.
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