One of the most important roles of any state government is to provide high quality health services. The NSW Liberal & Nationals acknowledge the importance of regaining community confidence in our health system. We believe one of the fundamental ways to build community confidence is by putting local health services back in local hands.

The NSW health budget is the single largest expenditure by the state government accounting for 26.4% of total spending in 2009-10.30 But no matter how much money the Labor Government spends, without reform of the way the health system is governed, the same problems will persist.

Despite the great skill and commitment of the clinicians and those who support them, the NSW health system is in crisis.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals have already released a number of policies that will make NSW communities healthier including:

• Vanessa’s Law:
  Proposed legislation to ensure a paediatrician has oversight of a child’s treatment if they are admitted to an adult ward.
• On-Time Bill Payments:
  A law designed to ease the pressures faced by small business by requiring State Government accounts to be paid within 30 days and allowing penalty interest to be charged if the deadline is not met.
• Making it work – Management of the NSW Health System:
  Abolishing Area Health Services and replacing them with smaller, community-focussed Health Districts oversighted by boards to improve management of the State’s health system.