Region. Fewer beds,staff and GPs

An audit by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) has found that Western Sydney had about 10 per cent fewer beds per 100,000 residents than eastern, northern and southern areas, and significantly fewer staff, 10.55 per 1000 patients compared to 11.18, even though more people use hospitals in the west. For the west to have the same proportion of beds as the rest of Sydney, 462 more would be needed at a cost of about $180 million a year. By 2036, the west’s population is expected to reach 2.68 million – up from 1.93 million – meaning 2473 more beds would be needed in the next 24 years. The report also revealed an under supply of GPs, with an average of one GP per 1049 people in Western Sydney, compared to one per 754 for the rest of Sydney.