Rural Health Minister Addresses Rural Health Students at National Conference
Delegates at the 12th National University Rural Health conference in Alice Springs have been told the Australian Government was committed to delivering an ambitious health reform agenda, which will support more health professionals to work and live in rural and regional Australia.
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15 July 2010
The Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, told a conference of more than 300 rural health students, that the Australian Government is committed to delivering an ambitious health reform agenda, which will support more health professionals to work and live in rural and regional Australia.
Mr Snowdon made the comments during a keynote address to launch the 12th National University Rural Health conference in Alice Springs yesterday.
He said the Australian Government recognises the pivotal role that these rural health students will play in the future.
“We know that people living in rural and remote communities face poorer health outcomes and have limited access to health care services than people in the city.
“To help ensure all Australians have access to better health regardless of where they live, we need a robust rural and regional workforce, and to do that we need your support,” he said.
As part of the National Health and Hospital Reform plan, the Australian Government has invested to ensure more rural health students and health professionals will work in rural and regional Australia.
“The Australian government is determined to attract more doctors, nurses, dentists and other health professionals to regional and rural communities throughout Australia — and keep them there,” Mr Snowdon said.
Mr Snowdon said the Australian Government has invested $639 million to expand postgraduate training opportunities in general practice and other specialist disciplines, including:
- 5,500 new GPs in practice or undergoing training by 2020 — with 50 per cent of this training in rural and regional Australia
- 7,500 rural nurses and 1,000 rural allied health professionals will receive ongoing training support over the next decade through new rural locum schemes
- 400 extra clinical placement scholarships for allied health students, such as physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists and optometrists, in rural and remote areas.
The Australian Government has also made significant health investments in the Northern Territory, committing $27.8 million to build a dedicated network of hospital and community-based medical education facilities in the Northern Territory to enable medical students to complete their tertiary studies for the first time without moving interstate.
In addition, a new $3.5 million program will help get more Indigenous students into medicine and prepare doctors to work in Indigenous communities, particularly in the NT.
More and better education and training opportunities for our health and medical professionals are essential ingredients of the Australian Government’s investment in a better health system.
Media contact: Alice Plate 0400 045 999
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