WATCH: NSW Regional Health Minister Ryan Park officially opened Tamworth's newest ambulance station as part of a statewide $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration program. Video by Jonathan Hawes
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00:00 Tamworth's newest ambulance station opened today after nearly eight months in operation.
00:07 I know the station's been operational since July, but this is a part of the $232 million
00:14 investment into regional ambulance station infrastructure.
00:18 It's a very important program about upgrading infrastructure right across our regional, rural, and remote communities.
00:26 [applause]
00:31 We don't have any current staff vacancies across the area at all.
00:36 There's been a significant investment, and funnily enough, as the Minister was just talking about,
00:41 he's been one of our greatest supporters in pushing forward with the Rural 500.
00:45 So what we're doing, that program is actually over four years, and so we're targeting to have 125 additional regional paramedics in place by June 30 this year.
00:54 This is an important investment that we're making in the infrastructure, but more importantly, we're investing in the people.
01:02 We know that whilst the infrastructure is important, what we need to focus on is the actual delivery of health care staff,
01:09 health care services through our frontline health care professionals, and that's why last year we landed a landmark pay increase
01:17 for our frontline paramedics, all about retaining and attracting new professionals to what is arguably the most trusted profession in the country.
01:26 And it's a delight to be here, it's a delight to be out in the Hunter, New England,
01:30 and I look forward to seeing and hearing about what this station continues to serve the people of this region.
01:36 [BLANK_AUDIO]