No quick fix, but bipartisan backing in Country Mayors' rural health meeting: Judy Coates

That's according to councillor Judy Coates.

The former veteran physiotherapist represented Tamworth Regional Council at a meeting of the Country Mayors' Association of NSW with rural and mental health minister Bronnie Taylor on Thursday.

The bottom line: there won't be a fix tomorrow.

But things will get better, she said.

READ MORE:

"The really positive part that I got out of it was that bipartisan acceptance that it needs to be addressed, and I think that's a really positive thing," she said.

"The fix was not going to be quick, but it needed to be attended to as a matter of importance, going forward."

Released earlier this month, the NSW Parliament's rural health inquiry found that the system which "in some instances is in crisis", is rife with staff shortages, inequity, staff bullying, and other major problems.

The inquiry determined that rural residents endure "significantly poorer health outcomes, greater incidents of chronic disease and greater premature deaths" than their metropolitan counterparts.

Both Ms Taylor and shadow health minister Ryan Park confessed to the country mayors that the problem wouldn't be easily, or quickly resolved.

Want more local news? Subscribe to the Leader to read it here first

But the government has already taken a few steps, starting with appointing Ms Taylor to her position.

She will also be put in control of a specific regional health division within NSW Health, and will be advised by a new advisory panel made up of members of the community.

Cr Coates raised the idea of training up nurses in smaller facilities to a high enough level of experience to be able to step in when doctors can't be found.

"I did actually speak to the minister about how we can address the doctor shortage," she said.

"Part of my question was about the nurse practitioner.

"I really wanted them to look at the duplication and the communication between state and federal government."

Want more local news? Subscribe to the Leader to read it here first

Tenterfield mayor Bronwyn Petrie raised the idea of breaking up the enormous Hunter New England Health local health district (LHD).

She said the district was so inflexible with regard to medical transfers, many Tenterfield locals would hop the border to Wallangarra before calling an ambulance, so they would be sent to Toowoomba, two-and-a-half hours away. In NSW, they could find themselves in Newcastle, more than 6 hours away.

Ms Taylor didn't commit to any change with regard to the LHD.

The bipartisan committee recommended a review of progress every six months.

The government is due to respond to the inquiry in November.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: