The Northern NSW Local Health District has welcomed an extra 157 nurses since March last year, according to state health minister Jillian Skinner.
Neighbouring health districts fared better, however, with 348 new nurses for Hunter/New England LHD and 380 for the Mid North Coast LHD.
‘Since March 2011, we’ve seen more than 1000 additional nurses working across rural and regional local health districts,’ Mrs Skinner said.
She said the 2012–13 Budget provides a total of $68.4 million for another 540 fulltime-equivalent nurse positions across NSW, which will actually translate to more than 540 nurses, as many will elect to work part-time.
‘NSW is served by some of the most skilled and committed nurses in the country and I am proud that since this government came into office, an extra 2500 nurses and midwives have been employed to ensure we provide the best possible care for patients,’ Mrs Skinner said.
‘NSW has more than 46,000 nurses working in our busy hospitals, community services and health clinics and more than 15,000 of these are working in the state’s regional areas.’
