MP throws weight behind campaign calling for 'invaluable' kids health services

It's a line delivered by Phil Donato on more than one occasion, but remains as true today as it ever has with the Member for Orange throwing his weight behind a campaign calling on the NSW Government to better support children in regional and rural areas.

During his seven years serving as MP, Mr Donato heard stories of people having to wait months if not years to see a paediatrician in his community.

"It's not good enough," he said.

"I know the paediatricians we have here in Orange are doing their best to get through their caseloads but they've been swamped with the number of cases they're looking at.

"We don't have enough paediatricians available in our regional communities."

Royal Far West has put forward a pre-budget submission to NSW Health and NSW Treasury to extend its kids healthcare service with two assessment clinics in Wagga Wagga and Dubbo, for an additional $6 million per year.

More than 60 per cent of the families they support come from the Murrumbidgee and western NSW regions.

Mr Donato praised the Manly-based organisation and said he had previously approached the government seeking additional funding and resources.

"I'll support any organisation who is prepared to go out to the bush and do work in our communities," he added.

"They've got a century-long demonstrated history of supporting regional families and children in their Manly facility. They can't do it all from the one site."

Mr Donato doesn't think help should stop there though.

He pointed to the fact that expectant mothers living in Parkes and Forbes could not give birth at their town's hospital, having to instead travel to Dubbo or Orange for healthcare.

The MP reiterated calls for greater incentives to be afforded to healthcare workers to entice them to work in regional and rural communities.

"We need to do more to attract medical professionals to our region. We need to look at incentives, subsidies, accommodation, waiving HECS debt," he said.

"The demands on paediatrics and paediatricians is as high as it's ever been. They need more resources and more support."

The independent MP joins a growing list of politicians - including Murray's Helen Dalton, Wagga's Dr Joe McGirr and leader of the NSW Nationals Dugald Saunders - calling on the government to support Royal Far West's proposal.

NSW health minister Ryan Park said work was "ongoing" in delivering "long-term solutions to this challenging issue" but added the Minns government had funded Royal Far West an extra $369,000 earlier this year.