Rural and Regional Health Australia to Improve Access to Health Services
Australians living in rural, regional and remote parts of the country now have better access to information about local Commonwealth health care services and a strong voice on funding priorities following the creation of Rural and Regional Health Australia.
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Previous MinistersJoint Release
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
The Hon Simon Crean MP
Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government
Mr Rob Oakeshott MP
Member for Lyne
Mr Tony Windsor MP
Member for New England
4 November 2011Australians living in rural, regional and remote parts of the country will have better access to information about local Commonwealth health care services and have a strong voice on funding priorities following the creation of Rural and Regional Health Australia today.
Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon, Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean, Member for Lyne Rob Oakeshott MP and Member for New England Tony Windsor MP welcomed the news that the new agency was now up and running and providing a central entry point on information about Commonwealth regional health and ageing programs for people living in regional Australia, as well as internal advocacy within Government on funding equity.
“Regional Australians can now pick up the phone and dial one freecall number for any information they need about Commonwealth health or ageing programs,” Ms Roxon said.
“In the past, access to information about regional health and aged care programs has been difficult to obtain. This new approach will make all that easier.
“With more than six million people living in regional Australia, the availability and access to current and local information about Commonwealth health or ageing programs is very important,” Ms Roxon said.
Minister Crean explained the new agency will also oversee significant rural health policy development and act as a strong advocate within Government to ensure health programs cater to working Australians living in rural and regional Australia.
“Rural and Regional Health Australia will play an important role in linking regional Australians to the Gillard Government’s record investments in regional health, such as telehealth, regional cancer centres and regional workforce incentives,” Mr Crean said.
Member for Lyne Rob Oakeshott said Rural and Regional Health Australia will help to bring together regional health services and better coordinate Government policies and programs.
“Establishing Rural and Regional Health Australia will provide a louder voice for regional Australia, helping to deliver better coordinated regional health policies and programs,” Mr Oakeshott said.
“In a certain 17 minute speech, I spoke a lot about the inequities of health funding for regional and rural Australians. This new body is tasked with helping to fix this inequity.”
Member for New England Tony Windsor said Rural and Regional Health Australia is a welcome step to improve access to regional health services.
“Without information, consumers can’t access Government services. Coordinating all Commonwealth regional health services through Rural and Regional Health Australia is an important step to improving regional access to health services,” Mr Windsor said.
“Now, by simply picking up the phone or getting on the web, regional Australians can find out exactly what Commonwealth health services are available to them.”
Resources have been reallocated within the Department of Health and Ageing to establish and maintain the agency.
The website for the agency, www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au, is now online and will act as a portal for Commonwealth health and aged care information and provide clear links to existing program information. Rural Regional Health Australia can also be contacted through the information line 1800 899 538 or e-mail infoRRHA@rualhealthaustralia.gov.au.
For all media inquiries, please contact Ms Roxon’s Office on 02 6277 7220
Gillard Government investments in rural and regional health
Examples of the Gillard Governments investments in regional Australia include:
- In 2011-12 our investment in targeted rural, regional and remote health programs will exceed $1.2 billion, in addition to significant funding provided to rural communities through the Medical Benefits Schedule, PBS and the National Healthcare Agreements.
- This represents more than a 150% funding increase for rural programs compared to the last year of Howard Government.
- $620M for Telehealth, providing Australian patients with access to Medicare funded consultations with medical specialists via video conference.
- More than $2.9 billion in regional Health and Hospital Fund infrastructure projects will have been committed to when the final round of the HHF is completed in 2012.
- We’re delivering 24 Regional Cancer Centre projects, including two additional centres announced for Geelong and Albury-Wodonga.
- Record numbers of doctors are now working in regional Australia following the Government’s $134m Rural Workforce Strategy, which began in 2010.
- More than 30 GP Super Clinics are dedicated for regional Australia
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