NSW hospitals get $1.2bn for upgrades A RECORD $1.2 billion will be spent on hospital upgrades and renovations across NSW but the opposition claims it's dollars down the drain without extra money for staff and services. Six days out from his third budget, NSW Treasurer Mike Baird has announced it will contain a 10 per cent increase for health capital works. "This is about catching up on our infrastructure backlog," he told reporters, adding about 40 per cent of the state's hospital network was more than 50 years old. It's good for nurses, it's good for jobs, and it's also good for the broader economy. The money forms the second tranche of funding for a number of pre-existing projects in places such as Blacktown, St George and Wagga Wagga. But opposition health spokesman Andrew McDonald described it as "a bunch of reannouncements" that will do nothing to relieve the infrastructure backlog. More importantly, he said it was no good building facilities without the staff to run them. If you don't staff units it doesn't matter how many beds you build... With $3 billion in cuts the frontline staff are gone. Anyone who has rung a hospital or has been admitted or has waited in emergency knows these staff are gone. NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner denied the government had slashed frontline staff and dismissed reports theatres are being used for storage while patients wait on long lists. We've actually increased the number of clinical staff: doctors, nurses, allied health and those supporting them. She said hospitals were being built to cater for "future growth" and some operating theatres weren't intended to be used immediately. Both ministers refused to say if next Tuesday's budget will contain a similar boost for overall health funding. NSW doctors want a seven per cent increase in the health budget, claiming it's necessary to maintain health services in the state. Mr Baird conceded there would be an increase but for "the details of that though you'll have to wait."