Health Boost in Bush: Grants Available
Rural and remote health professionals, clinics and rural private hospitals have been invited by the Australian Government to apply for grants of up to $500,000 to improve their local health equipment or build new facilities.
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8 October 2011
Rural and remote health professionals, clinics and rural private hospitals have been invited by the Gillard Government to apply for grants of up to $500,000 to improve their local health equipment or build new facilities.
Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon today invited applications for grants under the Government’s sixth round of its National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP), which will remain open for almost 10 weeks.
“People in the bush — particularly in areas with a population of under 20,000 — will benefit from better health care due to these grants,” Ms Roxon said.
“Over the past three years NRRHIP has funded 217 local projects valued at more than $43 million.
“These are competitive grants designed to help overcome any barriers preventing establishment of new health services in rural and remote areas, or where existing health services can be improved.
“I urge eligible organisations like local councils, Medicare Locals, Indigenous health organisations, private GPs who need to create training facilities for medical students or registrars, allied health professionals and rural private hospitals to apply for funding under these grants.”
Previous NRRHIP grant rounds have boosted the patient capacity of medical centres, provided specialised health equipment — such as for speech pathology — and they have enabled new medical centres to be built in the bush.
The funding is available in three streams — for capital works or refurbishments worth up to $500,000; for equipment worth up to $250,000; and for strategic service planning for small rural private hospitals, worth up to $50,000.
The grants program was introduced as part of the 2008-09 federal Budget to provide essential infrastructure for innovative health services suited to rural and remote communities.
Information about eligibility requirements and application material can be found at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Listing+of+Tenders+and+Grants-1
For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220
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