NSW Budget must increase Cowra Hospital funding

Published on 16 June 2022

With the 2022–23 NSW Budget to be handed down next week, Council looks hopefully to further State Government investment in the Cowra Hospital Redevelopment that meets the health care needs of our community and our region.

“Council and residents of the Cowra Shire are acutely aware that the current Cowra Hospital Master Plan unveiled in March this year does not meet our community’s needs,” said Mayor of Cowra, Cr Bill West

“The $70.2M announced by the NSW Health Minister in February 2019 for our Hospital’s redevelopment will not cover what is required under our clinical services plan, nor does it cover inflation levels of the past three years. We look forward to the NSW Budget announcements next week and seeing meaningful action and investment in our local health system,” Cr West said.  

A report tabled in NSW Parliament last month by the Legislative Council Inquiry into Health Outcomes and Access to Health and Hospital Services in Rural, Regional and Remote NSW, described the efforts of the health system in rural and regional NSW as a “historic failure”.

Following the report, the NSW Country Mayors Association of NSW organised a Rural Health Forum in Sydney and are now actively advocating to ensure that all 44 recommendations of the Inquiry are adopted by Parliament.

“The Inquiry found what everybody in regional and rural NSW knows, that health and hospital services in country NSW are below standard when compared to the service levels experienced by those residing in metropolitan areas. Now is the time for the NSW Government redress the deficiencies in regional and rural health delivery and the Cowra Hospital is the ideal place to do it,” Cr West concluded.

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