1999-2000
Better health care for Australians in rural and remote areas
This Budget includes $171million over the next four years for a range of specific measures to improve access to services and strengthen the rural health workforce.
Fact sheet 3
Better health care for Australians in rural and remote areas
Australians living in rural and remote areas face particular difficulties in gaining access to quality health and aged care. In this Budget the Federal Government will build on its existing initiatives designed to overcome these difficulties. This Budget includes $171million over the next four years for a range of specific measures to improve access to services and strengthen the rural health workforce.
These new Budget measures build on the many successful rural health programs already under way. These include:
- state-based Rural Workforce Agencies to improve the recruitment and retention of general practitioners (GPs) in rural Australia and a range of initiatives to fill gaps in service delivery (for example, incentives for temporary resident doctors, overseas trained doctors and graduates still in training to work in rural areas);
- a broad range of education and training measures designed to strengthen the rural health workforce (including the John Flynn Scholarship Scheme for medical students, the seven University Departments of Rural Health, the Advanced Specialist Training Posts in Rural Areas Program, the Australian Remote and Rural Nursing Scholarship Scheme, and population health education programs for general practitioners working in rural areas); and
- significant funding for services, including Multipurpose Services, Aboriginal Medical Services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service as well as major aged care infrastructure (nursing homes, hostels and community care services).
Health workforce
Helping rural communities attract and retain GPs
The Federal Government has honoured its election commitment to introduce retention payments for long-serving GPs in rural and remote areas. This Federal Budget provides funding of around $43.1 million over four years for this important measure.
Rural and remote communities are disadvantaged by the difficulties they face in attracting and retaining GPs. At present, about half the GPs who move to rural areas remain there for less than two years. Retention payments will provide an additional incentive for GPs to continue to practise in such areas, assisting communities to hold onto their already established GPs.
By encouraging GPs to stay longer in rural and remote locations, the retention payments will enhance access to Medicare, create greater stability and continuity in medical services, and improve health outcomes for Australians living in such areas.
It is envisaged that the retention payment will be based on the GP's length of service, the remoteness of the area they are practising in and the level of services they provide. The exact nature of the payments system and eligibility arrangements will be negotiated in discussions with rural GPs over the next few months.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 10.5 | 10.7 | 10.9 | 11.0 |
Establishing regional medical schools
This measure provides funding of around $18.6 million towards the establishment of a medical school at James Cook University and a clinical school at Wagga Wagga. The balance of funding for this election commitment will be met from within existing appropriations.
The Federal Government's commitment to provide $10 million in capital funding for a new medical school at James Cook University is conditional upon Australian Medical Council accreditation and on the understanding that it is to be matched by the $10 million already pledged by the Queensland Government.
Establishing medical and clinical schools in regional areas that then link with existing educational and health resources, such as universities and hospitals, is part of an overall policy designed to redress the shortage of GPs in rural areas.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 4.0 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 5.3 |
Assisting rural medical students through their studies
This measure provides additional ongoing funding of $1 million each year for the next four years to provide medical students from rural areas with scholarships to meet their accommodation and other support costs while studying.
Research indicates that students from rural areas are much more likely to return to rural and remote areas to practise medicine once they have completed their studies.
This scheme could support up to 100 scholarships per annum and the Rural Workforce Agencies are in an ideal position to administer it.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Further Training for Remote Nurses
This measure will provide $308,000 over four years and ongoing to support first-line emergency-care courses to remote area nurses, fulfilling our election commitment. This funding will enable better assistance to be provided to victims of emergencies and trauma in remote locations and will be met from within existing appropriations.
It will enable a mobile group of emergency medicine specialists, GPs and specially trained emergency care nurses to provide courses of instruction in first line emergency care to remote area nurses.
Bush Crisis Line upgraded
This measure fulfils the Federal Government's election commitment by providing $559,000 over three years to extend and upgrade the Bush Crisis Line from within existing portfolio resources.
The Bush Crisis Line is a personal support network which provides crisis support and counselling for job related trauma among isolated rural and remote area health practitioners and their families through a 24-hour free call 1800 number. This measure provides for a continuation of this service beyond June 1999 with an upgrade from 1.25 to 2.5 psychologist/counsellor positions, including new provision for Indigenous co-counselling and access to locum/treatment services. It also includes provision for a Bush Crisis Fund, to assist in personal emergencies.
Health services
30 Regional Health Service Centres
During the recent Federal election, the Government made a commitment to establishing 30 Regional Health Service Centres in rural and remote communities across Australia. This measure fulfils that commitment by providing $40.8 million over the next four years for health related services and infrastructure costs. Another $2 million outlined below has been provided specifically for aged care places in these Centres.
Regional Health Service Centres will be able to offer a range of health, aged care and community services based on community need, with particular emphasis on primary health care. Such services may include rural health promotion, medical services, illness and injury prevention, acute and palliative care, women's health, children's services, community nursing, aged care, mental health, podiatry, radiology and immunisation.
The Commonwealth will work closely with State and Territory Governments and local communities to ensure effective and coordinated services that meet the needs of local communities.
Top of page
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 5.9 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 11.4 |
Taking care of rural women's needs
Women living in rural and remote areas will benefit from the Federal Government's election commitment to improve access to female GPs. This Budget will provide $8.2 million over four years for a "fly-in-fly-out" female GP service.
This service will increase access to primary health care interventions, such as cervical cancer screening, breast and skin examination and other preventive health care and is in line with the Government strategy of providing greater choice, recognising that some women prefer to receive health services from a female GP.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
Strengthening Support for Women with Breast Cancer
In recognition of the dramatic impact breast cancer has on women, the Government announced during the last Federal election funding of $4.1 million over four years for support services for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This funding will particularly target women living in rural and remote areas.
Breast cancer causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths in Australian women. It is estimated that about 1.5 million women in rural areas are at risk of developing breast cancer.
Women diagnosed with breast cancer living in rural and remote areas face many barriers due to geographic isolation. Limited contact with specialist health care workers hinders their access to treatment options and support services. Funding will be used to establish health care worker positions in selected sites across Australia. These health care workers will receive specialised training so that they can best provide support and information for women with breast cancer.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Services for older people
100 extra aged care beds in Regional Health Service Centres
An additional 100 aged care places at a total cost of $2 million over four years will be made available as part of the new Regional Health Service Centres initiative (outlined previously).
This is part of the Government's ongoing commitment to providing flexible services to older Australians living in rural areas and improving their access to residential aged care.
This initiative builds upon last year's Rural Multipurpose Health and Family Services Network initiative that also provided additional residential aged care places.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 0 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.1 |
Simplifying aged care planning
Rural Australia has unique challenges. Many areas of the country face significant communication and coordination difficulties because of distances involved and problems accessing services. Communities in rural and remote Australia need greater flexibility and autonomy in the way they deliver services. The Federal Government is committed to reviewing the aged care planning process for allocating aged care services and has allocated around $5.3 million over four years for this purpose. This will ensure the aged care service needs of communities are met. In addition, support will be provided on the ground in each State and Territory to help plan at the local level for the provision of quality, aged care services.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
Capital funding assistance in rural Australia
The Federal Government is strongly committed to ensuring that changes in the aged care sector deliver sustainable and quality aged care services for older Australians, wherever they live and whatever they do.
The current capital funding arrangements for aged care facilities encourage providers to improve the quality of buildings. Aged care facilities that offer good quality building and care can charge those residents who can afford to pay accommodation payments. These payments will give providers access to at least $130 million per year for capital investment after four years.
A small number of facilities, however, particularly in rural and remote areas, may need capital assistance in addition to that generated by accommodation payments over the initial years of the new arrangements.
This initiative provides an extra $25.6 million assistance in addition to the $10 million per year already available. This will bring to over $50 million the amount of capital assistance provided by the Government before the certification and accreditation of facilities come into effect in January 2001.
Medicare
Expanded Medicare Easyclaim facilities
This initiative honours the Government's election commitment to expand Medicare access for rural and remote Australia. Easyclaim facilities enable people to submit their claims to Medicare from outlets in their local communities such as pharmacies, shire headquarters or rural transaction centres, and to receive payments by cheque or direct into their bank account via electronic funds transfer.
Over four years, around $19.2 million has been set aside in this Budget to establish up to 600 additional Medicare Easyclaim facilities in rural and remote areas.
The Easyclaim facilities will use a range of modern technologies and will increase the options for people claiming a rebate from Medicare.
| 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | 2001-2002 $m | 2002-2003 $m |
| 1.6 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 4.7 |
Other budget measures
There are a range of general Budget measures which, while not specifically targeted at rural and remote communities, will have a substantial impact on those communities.
Enhanced Primary Care Package
The 1999-2000 Budget includes a major package of initiatives to enhance primary care, particularly for older Australians, people with chronic illnesses and people requiring a range of different services to support them in the community. These measures are detailed in the Enhanced Primary Care Fact Sheet 2.
Initiatives that will have beneficial impact on Australians in rural and remote areas include:
- new Medicare Benefits Schedule items (case conferencing, multidisciplinary care planning for people with chronic illness and/or complex needs, and voluntary health assessments for older Australians);
- single regional points of contact for community care services; and
- additional coordinated care trials.
Indigenous Health Package
Additional measures to improve the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are detailed in the Indigenous Issues Fact Sheet 6 and include:
- funding of more than $78 million over four years to enable improved access by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to comprehensive primary health care services; and
- provision of $20.6 million over four years to extend the Army/ATSIC Community Assistance Program (AACAP) to improve water, sewerage, power systems, roads and airstrips, and for construction and upgrade of community facilities.
Contact: Nick Blazow, Assistant Secretary,
Rural Health Branch,
Health Services Division, (02) 6289 8579
