Redevelopments at Tamworth, Armidale and Inverell hospitals have received a shot in the arm from the NSW budget, while Gunnedah will also get funding for upgrades.

Armidale hospital has been allocated $26 million, which has been seen as a boon for the Northern Tablelands. 

Combined with the University of New England clinical school, as well as the ambulatory care and chemotherapy building, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said Armidale’s $60 million hospital redevelopment would have the town punching above its weight for health care.

“Few towns of 25,000 people anywhere in the world could claim ownership of outstanding clinical and community health services alongside leading teaching and research facilities,” Mr Marshall said.

Inverell hospital was also allocated $1 million for the next stage of planning in its redevelopment.

$5.798 million has also been budgeted to continue the redevelopment of Tamworth hospital while $2 million has been slated for upgrades to Gunnedah’s hospital.

In March this year, Peel sector general manager Catharine Death said all works of stage 2 of the Tamworth redevelopment would be completed by the end of the year. 

“The NSW Liberals and Nationals are getting on with the job of delivering for regional NSW,” Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said.

“Key areas of interest for the community, like health, transport and education are at the centre of this year’s budget for Tamworth.”

Tamworth will also benefit from part of $17 million injected into the NSW Ambulance Hospital Retrieval Network, which aims to put doctors on every flight out of bases at Tamworth, Newcastle, Orange, Wollongong, Canberra, Lismore and Bankstown.

A big dose of spending has been administered to health in NSW, with over $22 billion allocated to a range of health initiatives, including a boost to hospital staffing and capacity, to cater for 79,000 extra emergency attendances and 43,200 extra admissions.

Nine-hundred extra nurses, doctors, allied health and support staff have been funded to the tune of $120 million, which will be delivered statewide.

Mental health services also received a $1.8 billion boost, including $8 million for community-driven suicide prevention.

Budget highlights – Northern Tablelands

$26.22 million for the Armidale Rural Referral Hospital redevelopment construction;

$4.78 million to complete the $15 million rebuild of Moree East Public School;

$500,000 to improve water monitoring in the region;

$514,000 to refurbish government office buildings in Inverell, Warialda, Armidale, Glen Innes and Moree;

$1.56 million for social housing improvements;

$4 million to continue planning for 28km  of heavy duty road replacement on Newell Highway between Mungle Back Creek and Boggabilla;

$1.65 million to continue planning for new heavy duty road surface on Newell Highway north of Moree;

$3.25 million to replace Nee Nee Creek Bridge on Newell Highway, 46km north of Moree;

$1 million for structural maintenance on Gwydir River and Halls Creek Bridges at Bingara;

$500,000 for Gwydir Highway drainage upgrades at Gibraltar Range;

$3.65 million to Inverell Shire Council for road maintenance;

$2.09 million to Moree Plains Shire Council for road maintenance;

$1.88 million to Gwydir Shire Council for road maintenance;

$720,000 to Glen Innes Severn Council for road maintenance;

$1.59 million to Armidale Regional Council for road maintenance;

1.17 million to Uralla Shire Council for road maintenance;

$2.7 million for Carnarvon Highway upgrade from Gwydir River to Carol Creek;

$1 million upgrade of Gwydir Highway, 1km west of Delungra;

$1 million upgrade of New England Highway, 2km north of Uralla;

$710,000 for Bingara, Inverell and Tablelands Community Transport Services

$890,000 for New England Highway upgrade, 8km south of Guyra;

$700,000 for Waterfall Way upgrade, just east of Armidale;

$600,000 for New England Highway upgrade, 4km south of Armidale;

$600,000 for New England Highway upgrade, 6km north of Glen Innes;

$525,000 for New England Highway upgrade, 15km north of Armidale;

$500,000 for Fossickers Way upgrade, 6km north of Bingara;

$500,000 for Waterfall Way upgrade, 7km west of Ebor;

$260,000 for Guyra-Tingha Rd upgrade at Wandsworth; and

$50,000 for new roundabout in Donnelly St, Armidale.