Mr Duddy said Labor and the Coalition had made a number of health commitments in the lead-up to the March 26 state government election, but the Upper Hunter had been “largely left out”.

“It is not acceptable that a region that generates so much income for the government is not supported by modern health facilities or is short of doctors,” Mr Duddy said.

Incumbent Nationals candidate George Souris said Upper Hunter’s first priority in health was to refurbish Muswellbrook hospital.

“The emergency ward is not on the ground floor,” Mr Souris said.

“A modern emergency ward is one where an arriving ambulance and its patient lose no time in getting into the emergency department and being assessed.

“At Muswellbrook, there is a corridor and lift journey before the patient receives attention.

“Patients in distress are in no position to be navigating between floors,” he said.

Mr Duddy said it was “absurd that the Muswellbrook hospital still has to run its emergency department on the second floor of the building”.

“Neither party has agreed to fund a refurbishment at Muswellbrook,” Mr Duddy said.

Country Labor candidate Michael Gibbons welcomed last month’s announcement of $400,000 funding to make improvements to the emergency and administration areas at Muswellbrook hospital.

Mr Gibbons said the maintenance and upgrade of hospitals and the provision of doctors and nurses to meet demand for services were priorities.

He said the doctor shortage could be fixed.

“There is no option but to recruit doctors from overseas in the short term and to train more local doctors in the long term,” he said.

“I will work closely with the Australian government to increase the number of doctors graduating from university, from 1300 in 2004 up to 2900 in 2012.”

Christian Democrat Fred Cowley said health services deserved more government funding.

“The state government draws much revenue from the Upper Hunter, therefore we should be seeing proportionate returns to essential services such as health and infrastructure, especially when some health issues have been linked to mining,” Mr Cowley said.

Greens candidate Chris Parker said the doctor shortage was critical in all regional areas.

“Incentives must be put in place similar to what has been done in Dungog, where the council has offered as one of its incentives six months’ free rent,” Mr Parker said.

“This burden should not be left to local councils and resident groups.”