Three new units at West Wyalong are being used by staff and students undertaking placement as part of their health-related studies, as well as night shift staff who live out of town and require accommodation for overnight stays.
Irish nurse Aeisha Farrow moved from Sydney to West Wyalong in the Murrumbidgee area earlier this year to work at the local hospital. She and is living in one of the new on-site self-contained units, delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $45.3 million Key Worker Accommodation (KWA) Program.
The availability of health worker accommodation was one of the reasons she chose to work in the regional health facility.
With limited public transport and increasing demand for short-term housing options, the short walk to work from the modern, on-site units means no commute, providing a significant attraction for health staff.
“It can be very challenging to find short-term accommodation in country areas so having somewhere I could move straight away into was definitely a drawcard. I would definitely encourage other health professionals to go for it when thinking about living and working in a rural or regional town,” Ms Farrow said.
Further benefits and considerations for the accommodation design include one unit being wheelchair accessible, and two units being pet friendly.
Six units in Finley and three units in Narrandera have also welcomed their first tenants.
New units in Leeton are also now complete, which is the final key worker site for the Murrumbidgee Local Health District to be delivered under the $45.3 million KWA Program.
The three units, one of which is wheelchair accessible, are fit-for-purpose and will provide a comfortable and safe place for temporary or newly relocated staff to stay while working at Leeton.
All units delivered under the KWA Program are fully furnished and self-contained and feature a light-filled living and dining area, modern kitchen, bedroom with ensuite, an internal laundry and a screened verandah.
For more information, visit the Key Worker Accommodation program page.
From left: Nurses Aeisha Farrow, Kylie Holland and Dianne Reid