A record $1 billion in new recurrent funding brings the 2018-19 Health Budget to $23 billion, supporting vital hospital and community health services and employing an extra 1370 frontline health workers.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced an extra 950 nurses and midwives, 300 doctors and 120 allied health workers for hospitals and health services across the State.

“The NSW Government is picking up the pieces left behind by Labor and injecting record funding into health to deliver families and individuals the best possible care,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Mr Perrottet said the Government’s strong economic management had ensured NSW continues to have the world-class health system the NSW community deserves.

“For the times when minutes matter and seconds count, this Budget is investing in more than 1300 frontline health workers,” Mr Perrottet said.

Mr Hazzard said the investment in building the State’s health workforce will further improve patient care.

“The Liberals & Nationals Government is investing in the State’s greatest health asset – the people on the frontline who care for our public patients. This record workforce boost means more surgeries and better and faster emergency care,” he said.

In 2018-19, NSW will spend an additional $1.1 billion in recurrent expenditure. This includes funding an additional:

• 950 nurses and midwives, including specialty positions of emergency, pain management, diabetes, oncology, complex and chronic care, as well as clinical nurse/midwifery educators in mental health, general nursing and midwifery
• 300 doctors, including specialists in general medicine, palliative care, psychiatry, endocrinology, haematology, medical oncology, geriatrics, dermatology, pain medicine, ophthalmology, addiction medicine, radiology anatomical pathology, clinical genetics and forensic pathology
• 120 allied health workers, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists and pharmacists.

The 2018-19 Health Budget will include $23 billion in recurrent funding, in addition to the yet-to-be-announced infrastructure investment.