Long Bay Correctional Centre in Malabar is among a network of NSW justice health facilities welcoming new graduate nurses this year, as 43 graduates join the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network through the GradStart program.
The new nurses are stationed across both metropolitan and regional centres throughout NSW, with Malabar joining locations including Silverwater, Werrington, Kariong, Windsor, Bathurst and Lithgow, among others. At Long Bay, graduates will work alongside the Forensic Hospital, which occupies the same Malabar precinct and provides specialist mental health care to patients within the justice system.
The intake represents a meaningful boost to health services across NSW correctional and youth justice facilities, where healthcare needs are frequently complex and the clinical environment demands a broad and adaptable skillset. Graduates in the program work as part of multidisciplinary teams alongside experienced clinicians, building practical skills across mental health, primary care, drug and alcohol services and public health.
The GradStart Program
The GradStart initiative offers newly registered nurses a structured year of hands-on experience within the justice health system. Instead of remaining in a single ward, participants rotate across several facilities, gaining exposure to clinical environments and patient populations rarely seen in mainstream hospitals.
Kaitlin Barnsley, who previously completed the program, recommends the experience to graduates seeking a rewarding start to their careers. Ms Barnsley said her two rotations across different centres exposed her to a wide range of clinical skills and gave her the opportunity to work in varied environments with diverse teams.
While the program pushed her outside her comfort zone, she said the professional rewards far exceeded her expectations. She said the experience built her confidence as a practitioner and strengthened her ability to advocate for patients while working closely with other healthcare professionals. Ms Barnsley added that the graduate year helped shape her into a safe, competent and compassionate registered nurse.
Justice Health NSW chief executive Wendy Hoey welcomed the new cohort, noting that much of the organisation’s clinical work takes place outside the public eye despite having a direct and meaningful impact on patients’ lives and health outcomes. She described the graduates as choosing an exceptionally rewarding career path and expressed gratitude to each of the 43 new nurses for joining the network.
Long Bay’s Role in NSW Justice Health
Long Bay Correctional Centre has been a significant site within NSW’s correctional system for well over a century, with the Malabar precinct evolving over time to incorporate both custodial and health functions. The colocation of the correctional centre and the Forensic Hospital on the same site makes it one of the most complex and clinically significant justice health locations in the state.
The Forensic Hospital, which opened in 2009, is a purpose-built secure mental health facility providing inpatient care to people within the justice system who have significant mental health needs. Nurses working at the Malabar precinct encounter a wide range of clinical scenarios across both the correctional primary care environment and the specialised forensic mental health setting, making it a particularly valuable placement for graduate nurses entering the justice health workforce.
Why This Matters to the Maroubra and Malabar Community
For residents of Maroubra and Malabar, Long Bay Correctional Centre is a longstanding and visible part of the local landscape. The precinct sits at the southern end of the Malabar headland, bordered by residential streets and coastal reserves, and has been woven into the fabric of the area for generations. The arrival of new graduate nurses at the facility is a reminder that the site functions as a significant healthcare employer within the local community, providing jobs and career pathways for people who may live nearby.
More broadly, the investment in graduate nursing at justice health facilities matters because the health of people in custody has direct flow-on effects for the broader community. Nurses who build strong clinical foundations in the justice health system go on to contribute those skills across the wider NSW health workforce, and the patients they care for are more likely to return to community life in better health. That outcome benefits everyone, including the suburbs closest to the facilities where that care is delivered.
Nurses interested in joining Justice Health NSW can find information on graduate and career opportunities through this link.
Published 16-March-2026.
