A Legislative Council Inquiry into the state of healthcare in south-western has found damning evidence of understaffing and under-resourcing, particularly in comparison the rest of the state.  

The inquiry, chaired by Labor MLC Greg Donnelly and participated in by members of both the NSW Government and Opposition, found that health services and hospitals in south-western Sydney had experienced “historic underfunding” through the years. 

Of note was the disparity between heath funding per resident between those in south-western Sydney and those across the state. For example, NSW Health’s budget had allocated just $1714 per resident in south-western Sydney in the last budget – more than $800 less per resident than what was allocated by the department in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. 

This disparity had led to negative health outcomes in the area, including longer wait and travel times for surgeries, and higher incidences of chronic illness. 

The multi-partisan committee acknowledged that the area was a “fast growing region” that needed greater health investment. 

Its 17 recommendations included improvements to staffing, better allocation of funding, and the development of a new health facility in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. 

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association made a submission to the Inquiry. You can read it here.