New program to support rural healthcare

Increased funding is being granted to specialist doctors in regional communities with an aim to improve the care for those who live far from the cities.

The government has allocated $8.3 million to improve the training, supervision, resources, and pathways for regional doctors, as part of round two of the Flexible Approach to Training in Expanded Settings (FATES) program.

The hopes are that this initiative will increase flexibility and support and promote growth for specialists in different environments.

The Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and Rural and Regional Health, Emma McBride, commented: “People who live outside of major cities know that Australia’s health workforce challenges extend beyond primary care and general practice.

“The fact is that the further you live outside of our capital cities, the worse your health outcomes are likely to be. Our regions have been neglected for a decade under the Coalition, we’re turning that around.

“Specialist doctors are vital to delivering quality, safe and affordable healthcare that is responsive to community needs across the country.”

Eight rural medical schools will receive government grants:

• The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA)
• The College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM)
• The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)
• The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
• The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP)
• The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR)
• The Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD)
• The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP)

FATES could prove crucial to the health and wellbeing of those living in remote areas. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 28 per cent of Australians live in these areas.

Due to the isolation experienced in some regional communities, health outcomes are often poorer, said AIHW. People in these areas have higher hospitalisation rates, deaths, injury, and less access to primary healthcare services compared to those living in major cities.

Indigenous communities are susceptible to these issues as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to live in rural areas. According to AIHW: “Indigenous Australians have lower life expectancies, higher burden of disease, poorer self-reported health and a higher likelihood of being hospitalised than non-Indigenous Australians.”

Those living in regional areas were also more likely to engage in risky behaviours, such as smoking or consuming drugs or alcohol. This puts them at higher risk of health disorders and diseases.

FATES will assist in the treatment and care of the higher-risk Australians who may otherwise have no access to treatment.