Communities across the Hunter Valley and the North Coast have expressed concern regarding the lack of COVID-19 clinics across rural and regional NSW.
Currently, there are no dedicated clinics north of Newcastle, south of Wollongong, or further west than Dubbo save for a clinic at Broken Hill.
Despite the World Health Organisation's advice to governments to test as many people as possible, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington says many families in rural and regional areas simply don't have that option.
"People shouldn't be forced to pack a lunch and drive for half a day if they need to be tested by a doctor," she said. "Gladys Berejiklian needs to get her act together and get this done quickly."
"We are urging the Premier and the Government to look beyond Sydney and ensure that people and families in rural and regional NSW have the same access to these services."
Ms Washington says the short supply of clinics is putting some of Australia's most at-risk communities in danger.
"My community that I represent is a very vulnerable community. Tea Gardens / Hawks Nest is the oldest community in Australia. We need to have a localized plan. People locally need to understand where they need to go, who they need to call. At the moment, there's too much uncertainty."
There are currently 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Hunter New England Health District.
