NSW Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh and Shadow Minister for Health and Regional Health Sarah Mitchell have today called on the Minns Labor Government to urgently increase financial support for rural and regional patients forced to travel long distances for medical care.
With fuel prices continuing to climb, the current 40 cents per kilometre subsidy under the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) is no longer keeping pace with the real cost of travel.
Mr Singh said families across regional NSW are feeling the pressure.
"People in our communities don't have the luxury of accessing specialist care around the corner and they often have to travel hundreds of kilometres for appointments," Mr Singh said.
"When fuel costs are rising, that journey becomes even more expensive, and the current IPTAAS rate simply isn't cutting it."
Mrs Mitchell said no one should be priced out of accessing essential healthcare because of where they live.
"We cannot allow the cost of fuel to become a barrier to healthcare," Mrs Mitchell said.
"Regional patients already face significant challenges – longer distances, fewer services and more time away from home. The least the government can do is ensure the support they receive reflects the real cost of getting to those appointments."
The NSW Nationals are calling on the Minns Labor Government to immediately review and temporarily increase the kilometre rate to better reflect current fuel prices and ease the burden on patients and their families.
"This is a practical, straightforward step the government could take today that would make it a real difference to rural and regional patients. Supporting them shouldn't be an afterthought – it should be a priority," Mrs Mitchell said.
