NSW Boosts Paediatric Allied Health Workforce to Reduce Wait Times
03 Dec 2025
The new staff, including speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, and dietitians, have been appointed across 15 local health districts and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. Roles include both full-time and part-time positions in hospital and community settings.
This funding aims to reduce wait times and improve access to crucial assessments, diagnoses, and therapies for children across NSW, particularly in rural and remote areas.
The recruitment is part of the $130.9 million Family Start Package in the 2024-25 NSW Budget, which seeks to enhance child health and wellbeing. Other measures under the package include:
- $2.3 million for Royal Far West’s Paediatric Developmental Program to support children with developmental concerns outside metropolitan areas.
- $45.5 million to establish Australia’s first Aboriginal-owned, midwifery-led freestanding birth centre and community hub in Nowra.
The 2025-26 NSW Budget also invested over $83 million to support healthier families, including:
- $44.8 million to expand midwifery continuity of care, adding 53 full-time equivalent midwives in regional NSW, enhancing clinician training, and improving antenatal education.
- $26.8 million to maintain seven family care centres, five mobile services, and the Macksville residential unit across regional and rural NSW.
- $5.7 million to provide free vaccinations for pregnant women against whooping cough, influenza, and RSV.
- $250,000 for virtual paediatrician support for GPs statewide.
The additional allied health hires build on ongoing efforts to strengthen the healthcare workforce, including abolishing wage caps, implementing emergency department staffing ratios, saving 1,112 nurses from proposed cuts, supporting students with study subsidies, and investing $274 million to recruit 250 healthcare workers in previously under-staffed hospitals.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said, "We are committed to ensuring children have access to the right care at the right time, close to home. This workforce boost is one of the most significant investments in paediatric allied health in NSW. By embedding more professionals in hospitals and community health centres, we are building a more responsive and equitable health system. We are investing more in health than ever before so everyone can access the care they need and deserve."
HSU Secretary Gerard Hayes AM added, "These additional allied health professionals will greatly improve access to care for children across the state. Their impact will be supported by the HSU Award Reform program, which enhances the scope of practice for Allied Health professionals. We commend the government’s commitment to expanding and strengthening this workforce to achieve better patient outcomes."
News Source: NSW Health
