A highly successful regional, rural and remote deployment program for key healthcare roles is set to be expanded over the next three years, with NSW Health recruiting nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to be posted to short-term placements across the state.

The NSW Health Deployment Program was first established in May, 2023 to create a pipeline of skilled health professionals for short-term roles.

The short-term positions of between two and 13 weeks offer healthcare professionals the opportunity to travel and work in regional, rural and remote parts of New South Wales they may never have visited, with accommodation and travel costs covered.

The NSW Government is currently seeking healthcare workers from more than 20 professions including nurses, midwives and allied health professionals for a range of short-term positions in hospitals and health facilities across the state.

The initial success of the program so far has seen 90 staff undertake hundreds of deployments across New South Wales in priority roles such as nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, podiatry, speech pathology and physiotherapy.

NSW Health will now increase the team to around 400 to further strengthen its support to regional, rural and remote areas.

Healthcare workers seeking a role with NSW Health, or current staff, are encouraged to register their interest via NSW Health.

A series of measures to strengthen the state’s health workforce has been introduced, including:

Implementing the Safe Staffing Levels initiative in our emergency departments;

Providing permanent funding for 1,112 FTE nurses and midwives on an ongoing basis;

Abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in more than a decade for nurses and other health workers;

Investing an additional $200.1 million in key worker accommodation;

Beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities; and

Boosting subsidies for regional health workers.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park, said recruitment and retention of healthcare staff in rural, regional and remote hospitals is crucial.

“This is a fantastic and unique opportunity for staff to expand their skills and also immerse themselves into a new community,” Mr Park said.

“This innovative program is not only attracting health workers to regional, rural and remote communities but also strengthening these areas by maintaining essential health services.

“These deployments give health workers the chance to explore and immerse themselves in new communities, and pleasingly I’ve heard stories of many health professionals who have found the experience so rewarding they’ve chosen to stay, providing lasting benefits for patients, the community, and the health system.”

NSW Health deputy secretary for rural and regional health, Luke Sloane, said the deployment program offers career opportunities for a range of healthcare staff who are seeking new experiences and a career reset as well as a great lifestyle change.

“It’s also an incredibly rewarding personal experience, with many who take part forming new friendships in close-knit communities who welcome them with open arms,” Mr Sloane said.

Deployment program participant, speech pathologist Saffron Foy said she joined the program because she wanted a change.

“I loved the experience of working in unique and supportive rural communities,” Ms Foy said.

“At first it was a little nerve wracking, but the teams I was deployed to were so welcoming and inclusive that the nerves were shaken pretty quickly.

“I really recommend giving it a go and experiencing something new because it lets you experience a different lifestyle and allows you to improve and expand your skills.”