ACCOMMODATION units promoted as sustainable, stylish and affordable are being built across the region in an effort to attract healthcare staff.
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Community in Gunnedah will be among the first to benefit from the state government's delivery of $75 million to house health workers in the New England North West.
The accommodation is promised close to health facilities - good news for a town with a $53 million hospital on the way.
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Gunnedah Shire Council mayor Jamie Chaffey told the Leader without the workforce, there's not much use in the infrastructure.
"When it comes to doctors and most of those professions, we certainly are behind [the] benchmarks," he said.
"We simply don't have enough of them, and extra accommodation will be part of the picture and part of the solution to bring more people to help with that burden of extra workload."
Anything that makes it easier for Gunnedah to attract the small pool of people looking for employment in these areas is a positive, he said.
Like many communities in rural, regional and remote parts of the state, the town is feeling the pressure on housing.
"When you talk about those people that we desperately need in our community to provide services, normally those are people who are employed by the state government," he said.
"Any housing that is supported in any way, or supporting the cost of that, and the availability is certainly a must for our community at the moment."
The new accommodation will ensure needed health workers will be attracted and retained at Gunnedah Hospital, Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said.
"It is critical that we pave the way for the best and brightest health care workers to come to our hospital, and that means providing affordable housing for our staff," he said.
The units have been designed to minimise environmental impact and will be built with recycled products, sure to appeal to those with climate concerns.
The local health district diverts funds to accommodate visiting specialists and medical staff every year.
This project will save some of that money, Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said.
"The savings generated by this initiative will be reinvested into delivering vital health services for our rural and regional areas," she said.
Gunnedah Shire Council is working on a housing strategy and has a policy in place to attract and retain medical professionals.
It includes accommodation facilities with reduced pricing for doctors.
Quirindi, Walcha, Armidale, Glen Innes, Inverell and Scone will be next up to receive the housing.
The Gunnedah community is invited to provide feedback following the release of the hospital redevelopment designs.
An information session will be held outside Gunnedah Newsagency from 9-11am on June 15.
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