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Modular housing to help attract and retain staff at NSW regional hospitals.
Communities across regional NSW are set to benefit from a significant NSW Government investment totalling $45.3 million aimed at providing modern, sustainable, modular-constructed accommodation for healthcare workers. The initiative will see modular-constructed facilities rolled out in towns including Broken Hill, Balranald, Cooma, Finley, Leeton, Narrandera, and West Wyalong. (main pic: Modular housing set to address accommodation shortages for regional health workers.)
An offsite built modular prototype unit has been completed alongside artist impressions for each location, allowing local communities to preview the design of the new units. These facilities are designed to support healthcare workers in establishing themselves in new communities, which is essential for attracting and retaining essential staff at rural and regional hospitals.
The planning and design process involved extensive consultations with clinicians, ensuring that the accommodations would meet the specific needs of healthcare workers. This prototype has been crucial in testing the units for suitability, safety, and comfort.
The modular units are constructed offsite and will be installed on hospital grounds in the selected towns. At Balranald Hospital, two modular-constructed accommodation cabins, each containing two units, have already been delivered and installed, with finalisation of these units expected soon.
All the modular units will follow a consistent architectural design focused on sustainability, and solar compatibility. Following feedback on the prototype, offsite construction will commence, with installation of the new modular units slated to begin in mid-2024 and completion expected by late 2024 or early 2025.
This accommodation initiative is part of a broader range of measures being implemented by the NSW Government to enhance healthcare services in regional, rural, and remote areas.
Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park, highlighted the recruitment challenges in regional areas: “Recruitment is one of the biggest challenges facing our regional, rural, and remote health services. I’ve always said everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, no matter where they live. These new units will support staff looking to establish themselves in a new community.”
Minister for Regional NSW and Minister for Western NSW, Tara Moriarty, remarked on the government’s commitment: “The NSW Government is improving regional service delivery, and the $45.3 million health worker accommodation program is another example of how we are getting on with the job. Communities in the Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW, and Far West will be pleased to see this progress, and I look forward to seeing the accommodation become available to health workers by the end of this year.”
