In its final budget,the Coalition committed an additional $743 million for palliative care for an extra 600 nurses,allied health professionals,doctors and support staff and to boost hospital capacity.
However,on Wednesday,Premier Chris Minns acknowledged that some of that money had to be redirected to boost the broader nursing workforce. Despite this,he said the government was still increasing palliative care funding each year.
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“I’ve got to say ... the biggest impediment that we had rolling out that investment,that $740 million,investment was the human capital,the nurses,” Minns told budget estimates.
“The money needed to go to recruiting nurses,many of whom will be working in palliative care.”
The palliative care spend will be reduced from $1.85 billion over four years to $1.7 billion.