Parkinson’s NSW has thrown its support behind a Rural Health campaign initiated by Dr Joe McGirr, Independent Member for Wagga Wagga.

The ‘Better Care, Closer to Home’ campaign is an alliance of business groups, communities and medical experts who are demanding urgent action on the rural health crisis in NSW.

The ‘Better Care, Closer to Home’ Alliance’s Rural Health Action Plan is built on the recommendations of the Legislative Assembly Select Committee on Remote, Rural and Regional Health, which Dr McGirr chaired.

Dr McGirr said the plan was a targeted approach to reforming the system which would not require the expenditure of huge sums of money.

“My plan presents simple, common-sense reforms that will make a real difference in health care to thousands of people across rural and regional NSW,” he said.

“The idea is to redirect funding to be more effective, with the $270m spent annually on fly-in, fly-out health providers to be diverted towards hiring local health professionals who will live and work in their communities, rather than coming and going at great expense.”

The plan has six action points:

• A GP guarantee – every town should have a doctor.
• Birth closer to home – restoring rural maternity services.
• Local staff, not fly-ins – replacing expensive temporary doctors (locums) with permanent teams.
• Local voices, real power – embedding community input in health decisions.
• A watchdog for rural health – an independent commissioner to keep the health system at its best.
• One system, working together – integrating hospitals, GPs, councils, and community care.

The plan will deliver:

• Patients – faster access to care, closer to home.
• Families – safer local birthing options and better access to children’s health.
• Healthcare workers – secure jobs, proper support, and better conditions.
• Communities – a real say in local decisions and services they can rely on.
• Taxpayers – better value for money by investing in permanent care, not stop-gap locums.

“Through this alliance, I hope to harness the powers of regional decision makers from across the state to bring about changes that will deliver quality healthcare closer to home for our communities,” he said.

“Rural people don’t want special treatment. They just want the same quality of care that people in Sydney take for granted. “This plan is how we deliver that — by fixing what’s broken and making the system work again so that rural and regional families get the health care they need and deserve.”

Anyone wishing to voice their support for this campaign can write to:

Dr Joe McGirr MP

Member for Wagga Wagga

64 Baylis Street

Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

Or email: waggawagga@parliament.nsw.gov.au