Patients in the New England region now have greater access to specialised medical care closer to home, with the appointment of 13 senior medical professionals at Tamworth Hospital.
Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said their expertise and experience is a huge gain for the local community.
"Attracting skilled and experienced clinicians to our regional and rural areas is always a challenge but one that I'm committed to addressing," Mr Park said.
"With a national shortage of specialists in regional and remote areas, the appointment of 13 doctors at Tamworth Hospital is an outstanding result, thanks to the continued and focused recruitment efforts of the NSW Government and the Local Health District.
"These doctors have experience across a broad range of clinical settings and will be a welcome addition to the team at Tamworth Hospital, which serves its local community with care and warmth."
Labor Spokesperson for Tamworth, Anthony D'Adam says recruits will commence throughout 2024, joining Tamworth Hospital's orthopaedic, paediatric, oncology, neurology, haematology, emergency medicine, anaesthetic, obstetric and gynaecology teams.
"These experienced, highly skilled staff specialists are expanding the scope of treatment in the region, providing compassionate, patient focused care," Mr D'Adam said.
"When we ensure access to specialised services within regional areas like Tamworth, we make a massive impact in improving the overall health of the greater community."
Hunter New England Local Health District's Executive Director of Operations, Susan Heyman, said the commencement of the specialists is great news for staff at Tamworth Hospital and the local community.
"I'm delighted to welcome these new team members to our wonderful region, as we continue to build out a strong and confident medical workforce at Tamworth Hospital," Ms Heyman said.
"Several of these doctors grew up in Tamworth and the surrounding areas and have returned home to serve their community, for what will surely be a very rewarding career providing care in their chosen specialities."
Anaesthetist Dr Luke Anderson is thrilled to be back at Tamworth Hospital and closer to family after completing his training.
"It's an honour to bring my skills and knowledge to help care for critically ill patients and work alongside a friendly and experienced team to deliver more essential services for the New England region," Dr Anderson said.
"Since graduating in Newcastle almost 10 years ago, I have worked at many hospitals across the district, and became a Specialist Anaesthetist last year."
"I'm very passionate about contributing to the improvement of healthcare access and look forward to serving the Tamworth community for many years to come."
Recruitment efforts include the establishment of a local medical recruitment working party, international recruitment drives, the implementation of the NSW Government's Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, school-based trainee program, and tertiary study subsidies.
