A NSW Government website

The Special Commission of Inquiry
into Healthcare Funding

Dubbo to host public hearings on healthcare funding

The Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding will hold public hearings in Dubbo from 13 to 17 May 2024 at the Dubbo RSL Club.


The public hearings provide an opportunity for the Inquiry to hear from a wide range of witnesses, including representatives from the public sector, healthcare representative bodies, service providers and community members.

In the Dubbo hearings the Inquiry will gather evidence about a range of healthcare issues relevant to the region and will include:

  1. Funding challenges and opportunities for improvement.
  2. Healthcare workforce, including recruitment, retention, shortages and premium labour issues.
  3. Education and training opportunities and limitations.
  4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services, workforce development and support programs.
  5. Access to specialist healthcare, including public specialist outreach services and Specialist Networks that facilitate specialist virtual healthcare between metro and regional facilities.
  6. Links and opportunities for collaboration between healthcare providers, including primary health care and networks, Local Health Districts, private healthcare and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.
  7. Innovation and new models of care to improve health outcomes for the people of NSW.

The Inquiry invites members of the public to observe proceedings by attending in person or by live streaming the hearings. Live streaming links will be available on the website.

Prior to the hearings, the Inquiry will conduct site visits to local healthcare facilities and engage in consultation with stakeholders and community members in the Dubbo region from 8 to 10 May.

As part of that consultation, from 2:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday 8 May 2024 the Commissioner and members of the Inquiry will be available at the Western Plains Cultural Centre to meet with community members who would like to share their views about healthcare in the local area.

Community members can register their interest for a meeting with the Commissioner in Dubbo on the Special Commission website.

For more information including the Terms of Reference please visit the Special Commission website.