NSW Health is commencing the model in five local health districts, including Hunter New England

The state government committed to a review of the Hunter New England Local Health District, and to seeking approval to implement a different model of hiring GPs in the region.

But the shake up to the model will have to wait for exemptions to the Health Insurance Act 1973 to be approved.

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The exemptions must be granted to allow NSW Health to advertise, recruit and employ GPs under the Single Employer Model.

Granting the exemptions is not unprecedented, and has been approved in Queensland regional and rural hospitals, Mr Marshall said.

"This is what we've been asking for, for a long time," he said.

"Many of our problems stemmed from the fact that we don't have a stable medical workforce in our hospitals," he said.

The model permits Local Health Districts to take on junior doctors as the single employee, in partnership with Primary Health Networks and individual GP practices.

Mr Marshall said it represents a "massive win", because the Hunter New England Local Health District has been "completely reliant" on locums and visiting medical officers.

"That model worked 30 years ago, but it doesn't work these days, because we just don't have the pool of general practitioners that we used to have in the bush," he said.

The minister for regional health Bronnie Taylor has written to the federal government stating urgent action is required to address the lack of primary care providers and the concerning future pipeline of professionals in regional NSW.

Mrs Taylor said the Commonwealth must immediately expedite the process and allow the NSW government to get on with rolling out the model.

"We are ready to go now," she said.

"The model demonstrates that by doing things differently we can deliver outcomes that work for our communities."

Mr Marshall tabled the petition of more than 16,000 signatures calling for the splitting of the Hunter New England Local Health District, to dramatically increase nursing numbers and directly employ doctors in rural hospitals.

Think Tank New England Visions 2030 convenor Maria Hitchcock played a big part in circulating and recording the names on the petition.

Ms Hitchcock said a major focus of the split was giving community control back to New England

"This was probably one of the first times the people of this region came together under one campaign; we need to keep that momentum going."

NSW Health will commence expressions of interest with GP practices in five local health districts, including Western NSW, Hunter New England, Far West and Northern NSW and a further expansion of the program in Murrumbidgee.

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