Budget pledges $64m for nurses
THE New South Wales Government committed $64 million in funds to recruit 500 additional nurses, but has been forced to cut services in other areas in the 2012/13 NSW Budget.
The health sector makes up 27% of the government's total expenditure, so was always a target for cuts in a "tough" budget delivered by Treasurer Mike Baird on Tuesday.
The programs funded by the National Partnership Agreements would be wound back to include preventative programs.
But after Mr Baird delivered the budget his focus and that of his fellow ministers turned to the positives from the budget.
"Before the election we committed to employing 2475 additional nurses and midwives in our first term, and 14 months into that term we have already surpassed that target," Mr Baird said.
Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said an addition $1 billion investment in public health would provide for an extra 50,000 emergency department presentations, 30,000 additional acute inpatient services including 2000 more elective surgery procedures, and improved intensive care services.
