Rural health access activity

Rural health access activity

Since the inception of the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (the PHN) in 2015, primary health care support and services have increased by a value of more than $45 million. The increase in primary health care support and services to the PHN’s rural and remote communities is due to an equitable process for distribution of funding based on needs identified in the PHN’s health needs assessment.

Key increases in rural support and services identified from 2015 to 2022 included:

• Over $5 million spent in response to drought, bushfires and COVID-19
• Over $2.5 million invested in grants to meet local community needs
• 3.8 times greater expenditure on mental health services
• 72.2% increase in Health Pathways localised to rural areas
• 6 .2 times more funding dedicated to Aboriginal Health Services
• 200% increase in funding for drug and alcohol services