Mike Kelly highlights rural health initiatives in Budget
April 30, 2008
The Member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly says plans to boost rural health in the Budget (May 13) will be especially welcomed in Eden-Monaro where chronic doctor shortages are prevalent and some health services are in a “dire state”.
Mike Kelly, Member for Eden-Monaro
“We will be delivering on our election promise with the Minister for Health Nicola Roxon announcing today (April 30) that an Office of Rural Health and Ageing will be set up to drive change in the sector,” Dr Kelly said.
“I stressed the crisis situation faced by our rural communities in discussions I had with Ms Roxon in early April, particularly the problems in Eden-Monaro.”
Dr Kelly said the Health Minister had then been awaiting a rural health workforce audit which she has released today. The audit, conducted by the Department of Health and Ageing, reveals regional and remote Australians continue to be disadvantaged in their access to health professionals compared with city people.
The audit showed the average number of full-time GPs in parts of the bush per 100,000 people was around a quarter that in some cities.
“The report reflects the discussions I had with Ms Roxon and it’s a relief to see something is going to be done about improving health services in rural and regional areas after 12 years of Federal Government neglect,” Dr Kelly said.
“The Minister has unveiled plans to inject $6.3 million more into rural clinical schools and university departments of rural health.
“The Budget will also provide $12 million to help people in rural and remote centres access specialist services on a regular basis without having to travel to a capital city. There will be $7.9 million to support the specialist Obstetrician Locum Scheme. We will double the number of John Flynn scholarships for undergraduate medical students to undertake placements in rural and remote medical practices. And there will be $2.5 million for clinical placement scholarships for allied health professionals.”
The Health Minister has announced this is in addition to the Government’s commitments to deliver 10,000 extra nurses into the health and aged care systems, and create up to 50,000 additional health-focused vocational education and training places, Dr Kelly said.
“Our Government inherited a major crisis in rural health,” he said. “The audit of Australia’s rural and regional health workforce has revealed the Coalition Government relied on 17-year-old population figures – from 1991 Census figures – in developing incentives for doctors and other rural workforce policies.
“It was ridiculous that incentives to encourage doctors to work in the bush were based on these antiquated figures,” Dr Kelly said.
