Minister for Rural and Regional Health Visits Wilpena Pound

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PDF printable version of Minister for Rural and Regional Health Visits Wilpena Pound (PDF 29 KB)

13 November 2009

The Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, has told South Australian doctors that he’s determined to address inequities triggered by a lack of doctors working in the bush.

Speaking at the opening of the Rural Doctors Workforce Agency annual conference at the Wilpena Pound Resort in South Australia, Mr Snowdon said the Rudd Government is providing a $134.4 million, four-year package of incentives and reforms to encourage more doctors to move to the rural and remote areas of Australia.

He said the package is one part of the government’s plan for addressing the current health workforce challenges faced by many rural and remote communities.

“From 1 July next year, around 500 communities will be able to access rural incentives for the first time.

“More than 2400 rural practitioners, including a number in South Australia, will become eligible for retention payments - also for the first time,” Mr Snowdon said.

He outlined a series of other measures introduced under the Rural Health Workforce strategy announced in the last Budget.

These included a new and simpler definition of what constitutes a ‘remote’ or ‘very remote’ area, which will result in more than 2400 rural doctors becoming eligible for retention grants for the first time.

“Retention incentive grants will be heavily geared to encourage doctors to practice in the most remote locations.

“Furthermore, a new Rural Relocation Incentive Grant will enable eligible doctors relocating from a ‘major city’ to a remote community in South Australia access to a relocation grant of up to $120,000,” Mr Snowdon said.

More than 3600 overseas trained doctors working under practicing restrictions will be able to discharge their obligations sooner if they choose to work outside the main cities and towns.

Young medical professionals paying back their HECS debts will get more credit for working in rural and remote areas.

Also, the National Rural GP Locum Program will make it easier for rural GPs to take a holiday or engage in professional development away from their workplace.

Mr Snowdon said the needs of rural and remote Australia had been neglected for too long.

“It is quite wrong that some rural people cannot access the health care they need under Medicare simply because there are not enough doctors to service them,” he said.

“In the longer term we will address these problems through a compressive reform of the entire health system, preparatory work for which is well under way.

“But for now, these measures will bring some immediate relief.”

Media contact: Alice Plate 04000 45 999