A Coalition Government will invest $100 million towards upgrading regional medical training facilities across Australia and delivering 200 additional regional medical Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs), to fast track more health professionals living and working in regional, rural, and remote Australia.
Nationals Leader, David Littleproud, joined Deputy Leader, Senator Perin Davey, Nationals’ Member for Cowper, Pat Conaghan, and Shadow Minister for Health, Senator Anne Ruston, in announcing the plan to get more general practice doctors in the regions.
Mr Littleproud said the regional funding injection would be supported by a new comprehensive Rural, Regional, and Remote Health Strategy and developed by the National Rural Health Commissioner in the first six months of a Coalition Government.
“The Coalition supports better rural, regional, and remote health care and more GPs for families in our regions,” Mr Littleproud said.
“A future Coalition Government will bring more doctors to the regions. We will build on the former Coalition Government’s strong record in regional health, developing a comprehensive Rural, Regional, and Remote Health Strategy, to ensure Australia has a long-term plan to meet the healthcare challenges in these communities.”
Senator Davey said the $100 million commitment will make a real difference.
“When doctors train regionally, they’re more likely to stay, ensuring all Australians can access quality healthcare close to home, no matter their postcode,” Senator Davey said.
Mr Conaghan said every week he receives calls and messages from constituents frustrated with the lack of GPs in the region, particularly in light of population growth in recent years.
“While our population has boomed, our number of GPs has declined, pushing desperate patients into our hospital emergency waiting rooms in an effort to receive the support they need. This situation cannot continue, we are already beyond breaking point.
“We must be training and cultivating our future health workforce right here in the regions, not just to encourage people to come here to live and work here, but to give our emerging local workforce the right opportunities, rather than losing them to the cities. This announcement could not be more welcome for Cowper.” Mr Conaghan said.
Senator Ruston said that only the Coalition understands the importance of ensuring all Australians have access to the high-quality healthcare they need, no matter where they live.
“The additional funding will kick start works to upgrade teaching facilities, laboratories and student accommodation, backed with 200 medical CSPs guaranteed for the regions to tackle the chronic rural health workforce shortage,” Senator Ruston said.
“This announcement takes our medical CSP commitment to 350 places because we are committed to growing the pipeline of GPs.
“The $100 million infrastructure funding will be available to universities and healthcare institutions engaged in medical, nursing and allied health training. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a commitment to training healthcare professionals at their regional facilities or campus.
“This important investment responds to growing calls from stakeholders for a dedicated focus on regional, rural and remote healthcare.”
Shadow Minister for Education, Senator Sarah Henderson, said there is clear evidence that if students study and train in rural, regional and remote Australia, they are more likely to choose to work there, which is critical to addressing the health workforce shortages that only get worse the further you are from a capital city.
