$16 Million for Deakin University to Establish a Rural Clinical Training Program
The Australian Government will provide $16m to Deakin University to expand their medical program by setting up a Rural Clinical School program with major sites at Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat, and Camperdown.
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Previous MinistersJoint Release
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
The Hon Richard Marles MP
Member for Corio
Darren Cheeseman MP
Member for Corangamite
23 July 2009 The Rudd Government will provide $16m to Deakin University to expand their medical program by setting up a Rural Clinical School program with major sites at Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat, and Camperdown.
Deakin University has been allocated operational funding totalling $8.6 million over two years and capital funding of up to $7.5 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
The funding will enable the university to establish new key training sites in Western Victoria and surrounding regions in South-West Victoria. Capital funding in 2009-10 of $3 million will go toward the construction and development of the facilities to support the activities of the Deakin University Rural Clinical School at Geelong.
The new RCS funding is in addition to the $1 million in 2008-09 rural development funding for the university’s new medical school announced by the Prime Minister in May 2008.
The new funding will allow the university to have the training sites ready for their first long-term clinical placements in 2010.
The investment in new teaching infrastructure, residential accommodation, staffing appointments and student support services will build the health workforce in Warrnambool, Camperdown, Ballarat and surrounding rural towns.
The Minister for Health and Ageing said that this investment is another example of the Rudd Government supporting health investments in areas that are most in need.
“We know the Howard Government left us with severe workforce shortages and these types of targeted investments are about addressing this problem.
“Both the Member for Corangamite and Corio have been diligent as local members in bringing this investment to my attention and pursuing funding from the Government,” said Ms Roxon.
Member for Corangamite, Darren Cheeseman said today’s announcement is the result of months of lobbying the Federal Health Minister for this key investment for Western Victoria.
“Today’s investment in building the health workforce stands in stark contrast to the Liberals who failed to plan for these types of investments in regional Victoria,” said Mr Cheeseman.
Member for Corio Richard Marles welcomed the investment and support from the Rudd Government in the medical program at Deakin University.
“This investment builds the medical school profile and capacity locally in Geelong and is in addition to the additional nurse training places we are supporting at Deakin Waterfront campus,” said Mr Marles.
The Rudd Government has also made changes to rural incentives for GP’s across the country using the Australian Standard Geographical Classification Scheme. These changes will ensure that Camperdown, Warrnambool and Ballarat are reclassified to ensure they receive incentives for the first time.
Under the program doctors who move to these areas, either to set-up practice or to be part of the Rural Clinical Schools, will benefit from new Australian Government incentives announced in the May Budget.
As part of initiatives to attract and retain doctors in regional areas, doctors who move to these areas may be eligible for a relocation grant of up to $15,000 and a retention grant of a further $12,000 after five years. Doctors will also benefit from the new National Locum Program that provides locum support to allow the doctors time-off for a holiday or to undertake professional development.
Overseas trained doctors will have the 10 year restriction on where they can practice, reduced to nine years if they work in these regional areas.
The Deakin University rural training program will have a strong focus on supporting education in primary care settings and will provide a significant boost to a number of general practice training sites throughout the region. This investment will bring economic benefits to these rural communities.
In addition to the funding to create the Deakin University clinical school, the Australian Government is providing some $85 million in 2009-10 to support 14 Rural Clinical Schools already established under the program and a further two clinical schools funded under this Budget (the University of Western Sydney and the University of Notre Dame Australia – Sydney Campus). This brings the number of Rural Clinical Schools funded by the Australian Government to 17. The program is an important part of the Government’s wider efforts to improve the sustainability of rural health services.
Rural clinical placements expose medical students to the social and community benefits of life in regional Australia. It also opens their eyes to the many rewarding professional opportunities available in regional and rural health.
The RCS program encourages medical students to take up a career in rural practice by giving them the opportunity to undertake extended clinical training placements in rural locations. It also seeks to have a more immediate impact on the rural medical workforce by encouraging health professionals to take up rural academic positions and reducing professional isolation for the existing workforce.
For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220.
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