Thursday’s announcement by Riverina MP and acting-prime minister Michael McCormack follows the injection of more than $74 million into the Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network.

With stage three of the hospital upgrade to be commenced early in the new year, Wagga mayor Greg Conkey believes the latest grants will be well-timed. 

“It’s really great news for the city,” said Mayor Conkey.

“Yet another cog in the medical precinct that has been developed over the years.”

By the time all medical schools in the Murray-Darling are operational, and additional 140 students will be able to complete their training in the regions.

“The current model of medical training, which predominantly happens in the cities, will be replaced by a more sustainable system where the majority of training will be in the regions with rotations to metropolitan areas for specialist experience kept to a minimum,” Riverina MP Michael McCormack said.

Attending Thursday’s announcement, Independent member for Wagga and member of the medical profession, Dr Joe McGirr expressed his excitement.

“I worked to negotiate the original site for the school, liaising between the health sector and the university,” Dr McGirr said.

“For the first time, students can start and finish their medical training here in Wagga.”

Under the funding proviso, a dedicated biomedical sciences centre will be constructed in the city, to aid in the teaching of clinical skills. 

Additionally, digital connectivity will be increased to channel communication between the Wagga Base Hospital and the UNSW’s Kensington parent-campus. 

“We know if we train more medical students in the country, they are more likely to stay and establish long-term practice here,” said Jill Ludford, chief executive of Murrumbidgee Local Health District.

“We look forward to strengthening our existing relationship with the UNSW in working towards boosting our rural and regional medical workforce.”

The region regularly receives an influx of medical patients via its rural referral strategies, and so mayor Conkey believes the paramount concern must be staffing clinics with enough professionals to handle the intake.

“Wagga is a major medical hub, on average [each year] 380,000 use our medical facilities through rural referral,” said the mayor.

Though the city generally meets its clinical needs, mayor Conkey is wary that there is always room to increase.

“The city has at least 116 specialists and 90 GPs, but where we’re lacking is in enrolled nurses,” he said.

“We have plenty of registered nurses but we’re in desperate need of enrolled nurses particularly for our nursing homes.

“At this point, there is a demand and we’re not meeting that demand but our TAFEs are working on it.”