Rural Health

For many years, the College has been concerned about the maldistribution of physicians and paediatricians in Australia and a number of initiatives at central and regional level have sought to address this problem.

The Rural Taskforce Expert Advisory Group consists of rural physicians and paediatricians from around Australia. It provides advice to internal and external stakeholders on issues central to the provision of physician and paediatrician services in rural and remote Australia. Specific areas of focus are:

• Enhancements to aspects of basic and advanced rural training, including rural secondment policies, the quality and site of training, inclusion of procedural skills and interaction with rural clinical schools and university departments of rural health;
• The continuing professional development needs of rural physicians and paediatricians;
• The College's rural locum program;
• Working with the College's Workforce portfolio in the areas of recruitment and retention of rural specialists.

Please contact the Policy and Advocacy Unit for further information: policy@racp.edu.au

 

Submissions

• Evaluation of the Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program - Health Policy Analysis Pty Ltd - July 2011
• Development of a National Strategic Framework for Rural and Remote Health - Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council (AHMAC) - Apr 10 (PDF 223KB)
• Consultation on Draft Specification for Rural Hospital Medicine Training, Sep 2009 (PDF 
• HWA Rural and Remote Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategy, Oct 2011

Projects and Programs

• Physician and Paediatrician Locum Register
• RASTS (Rural Advanced Specialist Trainee Support) Project
• Rural Paediatricians Audit Project

 

Discussion Paper

The RACP recently issued a media release regarding dual-trained physicians in rural areas

• Physicians call for more specialist care in rural areas for chronic illnesses

For inquiries relating to this media release, please contact Communications Assistant, Edwina Lau on 02 9256 9650 or edwina.lau@racp.edu.au

To view the accompanying discussion paper, 'Linked dual-trained physician care in rural communities', please click here. 

For further information or to provide comment on the discussion paper, please contact Senior Policy Officer, Anne Mooney on 02 9256 9655 or anne.mooney@racp.edu.au

 

 Related Sites

NSW Rural Doctors Network: http://www.nswrdn.com.au/site/index.cfm
Rural Doctors Association of Australia: http://www.rdaa.com.au/default.cfm
Rural Doctors Association of Victoria: http://www.rdav.com.au/
Rural Doctors Association of NSW: http://www.rdansw.com.au/
Rural Doctors Association of Queensland: http://www.rdaq.com.au/main.asp?NodeID=259
Rural Doctors Association of South Australia: http://www.rdasa.com.au/
Rural Doctors Association of Western Australia: http://www.rdaa.com.au/default.cfm
Rural Doctors Association of Northern Territory: http://www.rdaa.com.au/default.cfm
Rural Doctors Association of Tasmania: http://www.rdaa.com.au/default.cfm