NSW budget: $500,000 for Gunnedah Hospital redevelopment welcomed, but solution still needed for critical staff shortage

The project is set to move into the next design phase following the completion of the Clinical Services Plan late last year, and the NSW budget handed down on Tuesday includes $500,000 to ensure that happens.

Gunnedah PaediatRic and Maternity Support (PRAMS) member Rebecca Ryan welcomed the funding, which she said was flagged during a community meeting in April with Hunter New England Health.

"It's great to see that has been put in the budget and that the project will hopefully move forward at a greater speed now," she said.

But the hospital needs to be fully staffed, and Ms Ryan remains hopeful that some helpful recommendations come out of the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into rural and regional health to deal with the town's critical health staff shortage.

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"I think we're at the point now that if we don't get some good recommendations, shame on the people who are at the decision making position in terms of this," she said.

"I know with inquires it can be a couple of years before you see recommendations put in place, so me personally, I don't feel we can afford to wait a couple of years.

"There were some really good suggestions made from doctors and nurses and I hope the inquiry listens to those recommendations and we put in place some changes."

Ms Ryan said people in Gunnedah know their town is at "beyond critical stage in terms of the shortage of doctors" and the flow-on effect is ongoing.

"You can't sugar coat that and that raises lots of concerns, from a PRAMS' point of view, one of the things we're concerned about is making sure mums can continue to have babies in Gunnedah," she added.

"We look to the inquiry to take those issues seriously and hope that it results in some really powerful recommendations that may require state and federal collaboration to make a difference."

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