NSW Ministry of Health

A day in the life

The NSW public health system is world-class. It is the biggest public health system in Australia with more than 230 public hospitals and around 108,000 dedicated staff (FTE) who make up the health workforce.

Our population is growing and it is also ageing. Technology, medical specialisation, new treatments and a wealth of medical research continually informing health care mean we are living longer but we are also costing more to treat.

It is important to know that if you elect to be a public patient when admitted to a public hospital, you will not receive a bill for your stay.

Your tax dollars contribute to meeting the costs of health care - it is your health system .

On a typical day in NSW*

• 65,000 meals are served to patients*
• 29,000 clinicians use the electronic medical record
• 17,000 people spend the night in a public hospital*
• 6,500 people are seen by our emergency departments (EDs)*
• 5,600 people are admitted to a public hospital*
• 3,100 responses by NSW Ambulance
• 1,000 patients have their surgery (emergency or planned) performed in our public hospitals*
• 270 babies are born