MERITS of splitting the Hunter New England health district would be weighed up under a Labor state government, the party's Tamworth candidates say.
A clear focus on staffing and an in-depth look at the local health district has been promised to residents, if there's a change of guard in March.
A push to separate the Hunter's medical services from New England began almost a year ago, with some doctors arguing a "Newcastle-centric" approach was depriving more rural areas of timely care.
Labor's Tamworth candidate Kate McGrath and Upper House candidate Emily Suvaal have promised to put improving access to the region's health services at the top of their agenda in the lead up to the state election.
Ms Suvaal, a registered nurse, said an incoming Labor government would also honour all existing re-developments, like the new Gunnedah Hospital and Banksia Mental Health Unit.
If the party forms government, Labor has promised to "look at reviewing" the Hunter New England Health District and the potential to split it.
"We are aware of those issues," she said.
"But being in opposition is tough, you don't have access to the same information the government does.
"We need to get in there and work out what's going to be best for the local community."
Both Ms McGrath and Ms Suvaal have spent the last two days speaking with community members and key stakeholders in the Tamworth and Gunnedah communities.
Ms McGrath, who works as an early childhood educator and is a member of the Gunnedah Roundtable, said the most pressing issue was access.
"I'm dependent on this system as much as everyone else," she said.
"We've seen time and time again that lack of investment and erosion of that system.
"It's really about ensuring people have that most basic access to primary health services, regardless of where they might live."
The plan to ensure access will include committing to implementing all the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry into regional, rural and remote health, enforcing mandated staffing levels, bringing more paramedics to the bush and removing wage caps for nurses.
Ms Suvaal said the coalition had handled regional and rural health "poorly" and was not fazed by her tour of the long-term Nationals seat of Tamworth.
Ms McGrath said she was confident Labor's policies would improve the region.
"It's lovely to see that the policies Labor are putting forward are policies that will actually address these priorities," she said.
"That's really reassuring."
The state election will be held on March 25.
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