Regional communities need action from select health committee

Mr Aubin, who is part of the Bathurst Health Services Action Group and also a Bathurst Regional councillor, was pleased to learn that the new Minns government is already making good on its promise to address the findings of a parliamentary inquiry into health.

The inquiry, which was established in September, 2020, investigated health services in regional, rural and remote communities and at its conclusion made 44 recommendations to improve outcomes.

During the campaign for the state election in early 2023, the NSW Labor Party promised it would appoint a Deputy Secretary for Rural Health, who would be accountable for implementing all recommendations from the rural health inquiry.

They would also be tasked with driving reform and improving the health outcomes for rural and remote communities across NSW.

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Now, barely eight weeks since the election, Minister for Health Ryan Park has announced the appointment of a select committee to examine and oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the inquiry.

"The Rural and Regional Health Inquiry, which I fought so hard to establish in opposition, highlighted the crisis facing rural, remote and regional services such as these, and this Select Committee will ensure they get the support they need to care for their local communities," Mr Park said.

Mr Aubin, who sat for a hearing during the parliamentary inquiry, has welcomed the news of a select committee being appointed.

"It's nice to see there's actually action on the front for regional health," he said.

Bathurst is already getting a $200 million redevelopment for its public hospital, something that was announced under the previous state government and is sorely needed.

Mr Aubin said that is a good thing, but the 44 recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry need to be implemented to ensure the redevelopment is effective.

"Hopefully, and I say hopefully, this committee will actually do something about the 44 recommendations that came out of that inquiry, because we all know this side of the mountains is just forgotten," he said.

"... Yes, we've got $200 million coming to our hospital, but we want to know that these implementations are going to be done to make our hospital run better.

"It's all nice to have $200 million spent building new buildings and infrastructure, but it's the humans inside there working that need the support, so hopefully this committee will see that and do something about it."

When Mr Park announced the select committee, he also said he would be visiting several remote health services in north west NSW, in addition to other rural and regional health services he has already visited since becoming the health minister.

Mr Park was last in Bathurst in February, where he met with voters and healthcare workers to discuss the area's health crisis.

Mr Aubin said he would like to see Mr Park come to Bathurst again to discuss the situation further, including meeting with Bathurst Regional Council.

"It'd be really nice if he would come and sit down and have a talk with council about what is going on, because we're across it," he said.

"... He needs to visit everywhere. He really does. He needs to do a tour of regional NSW and see exactly what goes on, because it's frightening."

The select committee will need to deliver its final report to the NSW Parliament within two years of its first meeting.

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