MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan has appealed to the NSW and Federal Governments to join forces to address the shortage of maternity services and General Practitioners in the region.

The lack of midwives and obstetricians in the region is highly publicised with the mothers of newborns speaking out about having to travel long distances to give birth.

Mr Moylan said numerous expectant mothers in the Northern Tablelands community have reached out to him with their concerns surrounding the lack of services in the region.

“Our healthcare system in rural and regional New South Wales is in crisis due to staff shortages,” Mr Moylan said.

“I am contacted every day by members of our communities who are struggling to find a local GP.

“It is so disappointing to hear basic healthcare for mothers and their newborns is so scarce in our region.

“Welcoming a new baby into the world should be a joyful and a time to celebrate but the lack of services in the area is makes it incredibly stressful for these families.

“Not only that but the danger of travelling long distances with such precious cargo is incredibly stressful for new parents.”

Similarly to the obstetrics and midwifery crisis, the number of GPs leaving the area in recent years has increased significantly and is continually worsening.

Clinics based in larger centres across the Northern Tablelands including Armidale, Glen Innes, Inverell and Moree, have confirmed are not accepting new patients.

General Practitioners fall within the responsibilities of the Australian Government but Mr Moylan said it is time for both tiers of politics to work together to address the issue.

“I have been inundated with concerns from Northern Tablelands residents who cannot sign up as a new patient to a GP in their town,” Mr Moylan said.

“Our region’s most vulnerable, including newborns and the elderly, cannot get in to see a doctor for a basic check-up.

“I have raised this issue on a number of occasions in State Parliament but there has been very little movement in response.

“I will continue to push this matter until there is action.”

Mr Moylan has also met with representatives from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association to bring their concerns to Parliament.

Shadow minister for regional health, Mr. Gurmesh Singh, said “the last two state budgets have cut the NSW Heath budget in real terms and our communities are suffering as a result”.

“The Opposition is calling on the State Government to fund health so expectant mums can have their babies close to home instead of travelling to Newcastle.”

Meanwhile, Mr Moylan has urged both tiers of Government to act to improve conditions in both fields.

“Instead of blaming each other, the State and Federal Governments need to start working together to ensure that the staff shortages across regional NSW are addressed,” he said.

“We need to start considering tax incentives for regional health professionals, paid placements for regional students, increased regional sign on bonuses, abolishing pay roll tax for regional healthcare professionals.

“We need to expand the Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme.

“We need to start thinking outside of the box as the current approach clearly isn’t working.

“Let’s collectively fix this crisis and end the blame game.”