Two months after arriving in Finley, new homes for health staff are now complete.
The modern accommodation units in Finley, and others in Narrandera, received the final touches last week.
It is anticipated they will be occupied from early in the new year.
Murrumbidgee Local Health District is one of three regional local health districts to benefit from the NSW Government’s $45.3 million investment to deliver accommodation for health workers under the Key Worker Accommodation (KWA) Program.
The modular units were manufactured offsite, with six new units located in Finley and three in Narrandera.
The connection of services, furnishing, fencing, and landscaping has recently taken place to ensure the units will be fit-for-purpose, comfortable and welcoming for healthcare workers.
Each unit is fully furnished and self-contained featuring a light-filled living and dining area, modern kitchen, bedroom with ensuite, an internal laundry and a screened verandah. Both locations have one accessible unit and secure access.
NSW Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said the units will assist MLHD with the recruitment and retention of health workers in both areas.
“The roll-out of the Key Worker Accommodation Program this year has been very successful, and the completion of the units in two more regional sites is to be celebrated,” Mr Park said.
“Recruitment is one of the biggest challenges facing rural and regional hospitals across Australia, which is why we are committing a further $200.1 million to increase key health worker accommodation in the state.
“Investments like this underpin the government’s focus on strengthening and supporting our highly skilled health workforce to ensure New South Wales’ regional and rural communities have access to high quality healthcare close to home.”
NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton welcomed the completion of the project at Finley, but highlighted that housing is only one of the issues affecting health care provision across the state.
“The provision of a safe, modern and comfortable place to live on hospital grounds is great for healthcare workers who have relocated to regional towns and are still establishing themselves in the community,” she said.
“My hope is that we can now attract more essential healthcare workers to the region, but to do this we need to pay our nurses and midwives a fair salary.
“The government should be trying a lot harder to reach an equitable outcome for them and I’m determined to hold the government to account.
“Rural communities deserve access to high quality healthcare close to home and I welcome this step in the right direction.”