Palliative care in NSW will get a $743 million boost as the premier makes good on his promise to fix end-of-life care, making amends for failing on the issue when treasurer.
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Premier Dominic Perrottet says it's the most important budget announcement he's ever made, after promising to improve palliative care during debate on voluntary assisted dying, which he opposed, but was legalised last month.
"There was no negotiation when it came to palliative care in this year's budget," he said on Thursday.
"It was never about the dollars, it was about matching the commitment to say that whoever you are ... you will have the care and support that you need."
The money is on top of the $300m already spent in NSW each year on palliative care, with the first-year funding of the new package to be revealed in the budget on June 21.
The additional funding will increase significantly over time, growing to an additional $339m in the fifth year.
During the voluntary assisted dying debate in November Mr Perrottet acknowledged he'd "failed in my former capacity as treasurer to address this issue".
"I made that commitment that I would rectify the mistakes of the past ... I want the best package possible that provides the greatest support that we can to people as they come to their end of life," Mr Perrottet said on Thursday.
"By the end of it, we would have more than doubled the investment in palliative care annually in our state and that will make a world of difference."
Regional Health Minister Bronnie Taylor, a former palliative care nurse, said the funding package would strengthen the career pathways for people becoming palliative carers.
"It is actually one of the most rewarding professions to ever work in," she said.
The funding will provide another 600 carers including nurses, doctors and support staff, as well as boost hospital capacity for palliative care, at a cost of $650m over five years.
The remaining $93m in the package is for infrastructure.
Westmead and Nepean hospitals in Sydney's west will get dedicated palliative care units and regional facilities will be refurbished or redeveloped.
Mr Perrottet said it was also important to provide home care.
"For many people who come to their end of life, that's where they want to be," he said.
Opposition Leader Chris Minns said palliative care needed funding as both sides of politics had not invested enough.
Labor would scrutinise the first-year funding after the budget to ensure changes to palliative care can begin immediately, but the funding was not his primary concern.
"(There is) a severe labour shortage in NSW - 7000 additional frontline (health) staff need to be recruited in the next 12 months," Mr Minns said.
Other jurisdictions were also facing labour shortages making it harder to import staff from interstate.
"I'd like to see some more detail from the premier about how he's going to achieve these increases in staff levels," Mr Minns said.
Earlier this week, the government announced plans to recruit more than 10,000 frontline health staff and more than 1800 new paramedics.
Australian Associated Press
