More than 10,000 people have signed a parliamentary petition calling for the breakup of the Hunter New England health district, hitting a crucial milestone.
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Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall told media on Wednesday he would sponsor the petition to parliament next week.
Under its rules, NSW Parliament must hold a formal debate on any petition with more than 10,000 signatures.
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"When parliament resumes next Tuesday, I'll be tabling that on the floor of the state parliament. And I look forward to the debate," he said.
"This is a very strong signal not just to Parliament and the government, but to Hunter New England Health ... [people] want to see better services not less."
The MP predicted the motion would receive "broadscale support" across parliament "because anyone who represents a rural or regionally based constituency knows that these issues are top of mind".
Initially developed by Armidale think-tank New England Visions 2030, the document calls for the state government to split up the Hunter New England health district, which stretches from Newcastle to Tenterfield.
![Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall told media on Wednesday he would sponsor the petition to parliament next week. Picture by Peter Hardin Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall told media on Wednesday he would sponsor the petition to parliament next week. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.messenger/61b3fd23-c257-42e7-bcf1-c0a2e6144984.jpg/r0_0_5694_3796_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's the state's second-biggest local health district, and the only one based in a big city which also covers a large rural area.
Mr Marshall said the huge petition reflected the "growing frustration that many people feel that health workers are being overworked and stressed, and that we haven't put enough emphasis and effort on improving the workforce in our local hospitals".
The petition push comes after a unanimous vote by every mayor in the New England calling for an investigation of the idea of a breakup. Representatives of the membership of the National Party voted to adopt the idea as policy, in June.
The Hunter New England Health District was established in 2005 by marrying the old Hunter and New England districts, over the objection of many locals, who believed the Newcastle-based institution would run roughshod over local concerns and centralise services.
The petition also calls on the government to directly employ doctors in emergency departments in rural and regional district hospitals, with the capacity to provide in-hospital outpatient services, and to dramatically increase the number of employed nurses, according to appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios.
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