The NSW Government will hold a preventative health summit by the end of the year focusing on improving long term health outcomes by addressing chronic disease before it starts.
The summit forms part of an update to the Government's response to the Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding - a key election commitment by Labor and a policy championed by the Health Services Union.
The summit comes as the proportion of people reporting two or more chronic conditions has increased in Australia from 16.9% in 2011/12 to 21.9% in 2022 (National Health Survey data).
It also comes as the number of GPs has declined - with NSW having fewer GPs in 2025 compared to 2022 - and many people putting off seeing a GP and ultimately presenting to hospitals more unwell and with more complex conditions.
NSW Health will prepare a report on the health of the people of NSW, which will describe preventable risk factors across the life course.
This report will be used as the basis for comprehensive engagement to identify key action areas for the health system and government agencies.
The report will have a particular focus on equity and provide the basis for engagement on how we can improve health and prevent disease, including addressing:
- Smoking and vaping
- Overweight and obesity
- Physical activity
- Alcohol consumption
- Immunisation
- Perinatal indicators
Allowing health workers to treat more conditions
As part of the Government's broader response to the Special Commission of Inquiry it will also establish a taskforce to explore ways paramedics and allied health professionals can expand their scope of practice to treat more conditions and improve timely access to care.
This includes two regional pilot programs integrating paramedics into multidisciplinary teams of nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals to deliver care tailored to patient need.
Innovative allied health-led models of care such as the Rapid Assessment Intervention Discharge-Emergency Department model, Quick Access Response Team, and Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting, are already improving access and patient flow.
These models demonstrate how early assessment and intervention in Emergency Departments, and community settings, can reduce inpatient bed demand, support earlier discharge and improve patient flow across Emergency Departments and hospitals.
These long-term reforms are designed to improve service efficiency, build a more sustainable health workforce and deliver timely healthcare for communities across the state.
Low value or non-beneficial care
The NSW Government will also build a more coordinated, system-wide approach to monitor and address low value and non-beneficial care. This includes developing shared understanding across the NSW public health system of what non-beneficial care is and how to best support informed decision-making by patients, their families and health staff.
Government's progress on Special Commission of Inquiry recommendations
The Government will also establish systems for monitoring the state's progress in response to the Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding. This will provide regular reporting on the implementation of the recommendations of the inquiry.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"I'm pleased to announce today the preventative health summit, which is just one step in building a more sustainable health system.
"We know that more people are presenting with more complex conditions to our hospitals - this comes at a time when people find it challenging to access primary care.
"This summit will focus on improving long term health outcomes by addressing chronic disease before it starts.
"And we will explore even more ways paramedics and allied health professionals can treat more conditions to improve timely access to care."
Quotes attributable to NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM:
"I'd like to thank everyone working in our healthcare system across NSW. Their dedication, skill, and commitment is why the NSW health system is one of the highest performing in the world.
"These are just some of the actions we are taking to improve our public health system and address challenges related to preventative healthcare and service delivery."
Quotes attributable to NSW Health Services Union Secretary Gerard Hayes:
"We know the best way to keep people out of hospital is to stop them from getting sick in the first place, this can make a real difference to both patient outcomes and hospital demand.
"Paramedics and allied health services along with preventative models of care play an important role in improving health outcomes for the whole community and reducing pressure on our hospitals."
