At health services where board members have been volunteers, including in Beechworth, Tallangatta, and the Alpine Shire, they will now be paid based on sessional fees for board and sub-committee meetings.

The remuneration, typically around $3000 annually, comes into effect from July 1.

At larger hospitals like Albury Wodonga Health, the practise is already in place.

“Our hard-working public hospital and health service board members are committed to the cause and they deserve to be recognised,” Ms Hennessy said.

“We’re ensuring we are attracting the right people for these important jobs with the right mix of skills, knowledge and experience, and putting quality and patient safety first.”

Introducing payment for public hospital board directors was a recommendation of the Targeting Zero: supporting the Victorian hospital system to eliminate avoidable harm and strengthen quality of care report.