Key Points
- The NSW government's new medical scholarships will begin in 2024.
- The entire scheme is budgeted to cost $97 million over three years.
- With 2,000 scholarships a year, the government initiative is aimed at slowing the number of young graduates dropping out of the New South Wales healthcare workforce.
With 2,000 scholarships a year, the program will support up to 850 nurses, 400 doctors with a focus on regional and rural interns, 150 midwives and a host of other workers including paramedics and physiotherapists, the NSW government announced this week.
NSW Premier Chris Minns made the announcement at Blacktown Hospital on Sunday.
"We have been elected with a clear mandate to invest in the people that work in the buildings that we're currently standing in, where we were elected with a mandate to invest in the human capital of New South Wales and that means in particular paramedics, nurses and midwives," the Premier says.
"It's one of the leading reasons why we announced in the election campaign, a study subsidy for 2000 healthcare workers every single year to attract them to this profession."
Healthcare workers in the state, like Archie Parafina, have welcomed the government's initiative, which is aimed at slowing the number of young graduates dropping out of the NSW healthcare workforce.
"It will be a big help for local students to have their study fees subsidies by the government," nurse Archie Parafina says.
Nurse Archie, who at times works as a travelling nurse filling in locum (temporary) positions in rural areas, hopes that the new NSW study subsidy will encourage more students to take up nursing or other medical courses and work in more regional areas. Credit: Archie Parafina
Those who have already commenced their studies will also be recognised under a transitionary arrangement.
Parafina, who has been working as a nurse in NSW for the past 12 years, furthers that this new scholarship grant will also encourage more students to take up nursing or other medical courses including becoming a doctor or a paramedic.
The Sydney-based nurse also stresses how the regional communities of NSW will benefit from this.
"It's also good if the government can divert healthcare workers and bring them to the rural areas where shortages of doctors and nurses are truly felt."
Mr Parafina, from time to time, goes to rural areas to fill in some locum or temporary positions in regional hospitals.
"I hope this study subsidy will encourage more medical graduates to work in rural areas that are in need of healthcare workers."
