Update on NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding

31 July 2024

A comprehensive review of the funding of health services in NSW, examining existing governance, health service funding and strategies for escalating costs (among other items).

Following ANZCA’s submission to the inquiry in late 2023, four representatives from the NSW Regional Committee and ANZCA staff met with inquiry representatives in late May 2024 to discuss the topics in our submission and to gain a better understanding of evidence sought for the July/August 2024 workforce hearings. In recent weeks, ANZCA has compiled and provided the following detailed documents to the inquiry:

• Information and documents relating to training and accreditation policies and procedures as part of an 11-page summons to produce documents” official request. 
• A 30-page written “witness statement” addressing 16 questions posed by the inquiry, covering factual and evaluative/opinion questions.

The workforce hearing block focuses on the identification of:

• The current state and composition of the health workforce in NSW - in particular, medical staff, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals (health workforce).
• The current approaches to the training, recruitment and engagement of the health workforce within the public health system in NSW.
• Current and future issues and challenges relating to the training, recruitment, engagement and retention of a sustainable Health Workforce to meet the current and future health needs of the population in NSW.

Dr Michelle Moyle and Dr Frances Page provided expert testimony at a hearing session on Wednesday 24 July 2024. The hearing was scheduled for one hour, however lasted for 3.5 hours. The hearing covered the following key items:

• The requirement for, and provision of, transparency in the process of getting ANZCA fellowship (FANZCA).
• The role of the college in training and assessment and in advocacy for fellows on issues relating to health and wellbeing.
• An overview of the college’s site accreditation process.
• The role of the college in safety and quality.
• Workforce shortages and increases in service demand.
• Discussion of the Specialist Training Program (STP) and Integrated Rural Training Pipeline (IRTP) funding streams and how these differ.
• Perioperative medicine.
• Award reform.

A copy of the hearing transcript can be found here.

The second stage of the workforce hearings is scheduled for October 2024 and will focus on the identification and consideration of potential responses and solutions to the circumstances, issues and challenges identified during the first stage of the workforce hearings. It is unclear whether ANZCA will be invited to these hearings.
The inquiry report is due to be delivered to the NSW government by late March 2025. A response from the NSW government is anticipated sometime after that.