Locum at Parkes Hospital, NSW
About Parkes Hospital
Parkes Hospital, part of the Lachlan Health Service, is a modern rural health facility located in central-west New South Wales. Opened in 2015, the hospital provides a broad spectrum of acute and community-based services to a catchment area of over 12,000 people.
Key facts about Parkes Hospital
Hours and On-call
- ED Day: 0745 - 1815
- ED Night: 1800-0800
- Ward: 0800 - 1700
Location:
Parkes Hospital, WNSW
Payment Frequency:
- V-Money
Orientation
All locums must complete NSW Health’s HETI mandatory training Orientation and clinical handover occur at the beginning and end of each shift Training includes ALS, eMR, eMeds, and Between the Flags
Why work at Parkes Hospital
This is a good spot for confident, self-sufficient doctors who want to make a real impact. There are no registrars, so you’ll need to work independently — but the nursing and allied health teams are solid, and there's always an ED doctor on-site. You won’t be micromanaged, and your input will actually matter.
It’s also a chance to build your rural generalist skill set — across ED and inpatient care — and to step into teaching or leadership roles if that interests you. On top of that, Parkes has a strong community feel, a bit of character, and a relaxed pace that many doctors end up loving.
The facilities and services at Parkes Hospital
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27-bed inpatient unit with maternity, surgical, medical, palliative, and high-observation capacity
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5-bed Emergency Department with dedicated resuscitation bay
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Surgical theatre (general, scopes, gynaecology)
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Pathology, medical imaging, and pharmacy on-site
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Dialysis, Hospital in the Home, rehab, oncology, ambulatory care
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Visiting services include psychiatry, oncology, and podiatry
Complexities, inpatients, and ED presentations
Parkes Hospital sees a mix of presentations in its Emergency Department, ranging from low-acuity cases through to high-acuity trauma and complex medical scenarios. Doctors working here can expect variety — from managing walk-in patients and chronic conditions to stabilising acute emergencies before transfer if needed.
Inpatient responsibilities typically include ward rounds, discharge planning, reviewing pathology and imaging, and post-operative care. With no registrars on site, the complexity of care is often handled directly by the attending doctor, making it important for locums to feel confident in their clinical decision-making and time management.
Staffing Levels
- Each role is filled by one doctor per shift
- Additional support from nursing staff and multidisciplinary teams
- Opportunities to supervise students and junior doctors
- No registrars onsite—locums must be confident working independently
Hospital team and culture:
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The hospital fosters a team-based, respectful workplace culture. Locum doctors are well supported by nursing, allied health, and admin teams and are integrated quickly into the daily workflow through comprehensive handovers. |
Mental health support:
Access to both EAP and DNA's partnership with MyMirror
Impact on local community:
As a locum at Parkes, your contribution directly supports high-quality rural healthcare delivery to a large catchment area. Your presence ensures continuity of care and relieves pressure on the permanent medical workforce.
Accommodation details:
A private property is provided
Things to see & do in Parkes:
Located in the heart of NSW’s central west, Parkes is known for its world-famous Parkes Radio Telescope and lively Elvis Festival. The town offers a great mix of heritage charm, modern amenities, and natural beauty. Enjoy boutique cafes, wide open spaces, and a strong sense of community—all just a short flight or drive from Sydney.
DNA Healthcare success stories
Beverley Anne from DNA Medical Recruitment was a pleasure to deal with. Honest, efficient and professional at all times.
Doctor
Beverley is the best agent for me – she responds efficiently, goes above and beyond in finding me the most suitable shifts, checks up on me to make sure I’m okay almost daily and you can tell she genuinely wants the best for you. Thank you so much, Beverley, for making everything so smooth for me!
Doctor
I couldn’t recommend Bev the team at DNA Recruitment more highly.
Having been away from hospital practice for 2 years, I was a little nervous stepping back into acute medicine. The team were very understanding and supportive and found a well-paid locum job in a very welcoming team in a Regional Hospital. There was always good communication, arranging all the paperwork and constantly checking in to see how the job was going, and the accounts team were very happy to work with my requests to enable sacrifice of pay to increase Super contribution.
A great experience. I would recommend to any who are looking to engage in locum practice to contact DNA Recruit.
Doctor
Bev was recommended to me by another doctor, and I can see why. From our very first contact, she has been warm, encouraging, and extremely helpful. I’ve had some difficult personal circumstances, which I was afraid would affect my ability to work. Bev has gone above and beyond to find me work, and been incredibly supportive throughout the process.
I’ve worked with several locum agencies in the past, and most of them just do the bare minimum (which I don’t begrudge). But Bev has been an absolute joy to have as my agent, and I’ve already referred another colleague to her. Even Veronika in payroll has been very helpful, friendly, and accommodating. I haven’t worked with anyone else in DNA Recruit, but so far I have only good things to say about them.
Doctor
Thank you Bey you’re adorable. I’m sure you appreciate how competitive the recruitment market is and it’s no secret i have dealt with several agencies (who often advertise the same opportunities) – but one by one shed them in favour of you because in addition to being so damn professional you have a genuine bedside manner which helps to make the tedious process of organising things trip after trip that bit easier – a fact which has not gone unnoticed, and I am grateful for.
Anaesthetic Locum
Thank you Bev, you are amazing! I am impressed with how quickly you managed and sort things out! Thanks for advocating for me.
Doctor
DNA Medical Recruitment provide a warm, caring service to Doctors, and they are an absolute pleasure to deal with. Bev is my consultant, and I could not ask any more of her. She is always ready to help, nothing is an issue and she bends over backwards to ensure that I am moving to a position that suits me. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending DNA to any of our colleagues, whether it be nursing or medical. Thank you Bev for all that you do.
Doctor
I have worked with David over the last year and he is professional, reliable and always keeps me up to date with work matters. David also responds to emails and phone calls promptly which assists me with managing my work schedules. There were occasions in which David had to chase the primary employer for clarification few hours be for my shift, and David has come through with the necessary clarification. I would highly recommend David’s leadership and honesty when it comes to managing your locum placement.
Anaesthetic specialist
