17 February 2025

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is calling on the Federal Government to address the divide in access to specialist medical care between metropolitan and rural Australia in the 2025 Federal Budget.

Nearly one-third of Australians live in rural and regional areas, where access to medical specialists remains significantly limited compared to metropolitan centres. This is despite the fact that regional and rural Australians experience higher rates of complex and chronic disease [1].

With a budget before the upcoming election looking more likely [2], the RACP warns that without targeted investment, this healthcare gap will continue to widen.

President of the RACP, Professor Jennifer Martin, said all Australians deserve equitable access to medical specialists, regardless of where they live.

"People in rural and regional Australia are waiting far too long to see medical specialists.

"Many are forced to travel long distances for specialist consultations, while others are simply missing out altogether,” Professor Martin said.

The RACP's key recommendations include:

• Expanding rural and regional specialist training pathways
• Introducing new incentives for medical specialists to work in regional communities
• Increasing funding for telehealth hubs in regional hospitals
• Reinstating Medicare rebates for specialist telehealth consultations
• Supporting international medical graduates with dedicated rural training arrangements. [3]

"The data shows that medical specialists who train in rural areas are more likely to stay and practice there. We need dedicated funding to make this happen,” Professor Martin said.

“The Government must fund additional specialist training positions in regional and rural communities.

"We also need targeted incentives to attract medical specialists to regional areas. This includes practical support with things like relocation and childcare.

"International medical graduates (IMGs) also play an important role in regional healthcare, but they need proper support and clinical supervision to succeed.

“The Government must fund IMG training programs to ensure that international graduates can receive the support they need to deliver high-quality care.”

Professor Martin said telehealth services were also crucial to improving access to specialist care for rural communities.

"Telehealth is one of the most effective ways to connect regional patients with medical specialists.

“The Federal Government must immediately reinstate Medicare rebates for specialist telephone follow-ups.

“Without this support, patients are forced to travel for hours for appointments that could be done virtually.

"We're also calling for dedicated funding to establish telehealth hubs in regional hospitals and GP clinics.

"Every Australian deserves access to high-quality specialist medical care, yet far too many people living in regional and rural communities are missing out.

“The Federal Budget is an opportunity for the Government to take real action on reducing these healthcare inequities,” Professor Martin said.

[1] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Rural and remote health

[2] The Australian Financial Review - Labor just emailed out a big hint about the election date

[3] RACP – Pre-budget Submission 2025