Blue Mountains Labor MP Trish Doyle has put the spotlight on health and community services in the final week of the state election campaign.
Ms Doyle joined deputy Labor leader Penny Sharpe in Cranebrook last week to announce a Labor government would ensure workers in the community sector procurement supply chain would be paid the award wage as a minimum "price floor".
Ms Sharpe said the days of community sector workers being underpaid on tenders contracted by government would be over if Labor is elected on March 23.
"It is unacceptable that service providers with a government-tendered contract in the community sector are paying their workers - or their sub-contracted workers - less than the award wage for the crucial work undertaken in delivering community services," she said.
The Labor policy will require contractors to sign a code of conduct ensuring their supply chain is paid at or above any relevant award.
Ms Doyle also met with more than 20 local nurses, midwives and health workers at the Katoomba Hospital to publicise Labor's plans to introduce mandated nurse-to-patient ratios.
The Coalition Government has promised to employ an extra 5000 nurses and midwives over the next four years, while Labor says its policy will see more than 5500 employed.
"Mandating nurse-to-patient ratios will ensure better patient care and improve understaffing problems that have plagued the public health system in recent years," said Rita Martin, from the Nurses and Midwives Association.
"This will reduce the risk of errors, improve the amount of time each nurse or midwife can spend in patient care, create better workplaces and reduce stress."