Budget invests in rural and regional health care
The AMA has welcomed the government’s $143.3 million commitment to support access to healthcare in rural and regional areas.
As part of this investment, incentive payments of up to $10,500 will be available to GPs and rural generalists with advanced clinical skills to practice in rural and remote communities ($74.1m). Services Australia has been allocated $2.5 million in 2022-23 and $7.5 million over 4 years to support the implementation of additional payments to doctors if they have additional skills and experience, such as in:
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander health
- Anaesthetics
- emergency medicine
- mental health
- obstetrics
- surgery
Starting on 1 January 2024, this measure will support people living in regional, rural, and remote communities to get the medical care they need and support doctors with advanced education and skills to practise in rural and regional communities This measure will end on 30 June 2026.
The Government also committed $29.4 million to expand the Workforce Incentive Program, $5.6 million to expand the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program to more than 1,000 placements in rural Australia per year by 2026 and to more pilot sites for the GP training Single Employer Model.
These commitments are in line with AMAs calls for more investment to support access to healthcare for rural communities.
