MORE DOCTORS & CLINICAL STAFF FOR BUSH HOSPITALS IN 2008

Public hospitals in rural and remote Queensland will benefit from 76 additional doctors, nurses and allied health professionals starting in coming weeks, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson said 46 new doctors, 12 nurses and 18 allied health staff had been given rural scholarships specifically to work in rural, remote and regional hospitals.

“The Queensland Health Rural Scholarship Scheme is designed to target clinical staff to hospitals in rural and regional communities.” he said.

“Hospitals throughout Queensland will benefit from the 76 new staff which includes doctors, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, podiatrists and social workers.

“It will enable smaller rural and remote hospitals to fill crucial staff vacancies where recruitment has proved difficult.

“Scholarship holders are also bonded to work in a hospital for up to 4 years depending on their particular clinical discipline.” (eg: doctors 4 years, nurses 2 years).”

Mr Robertson said recruitment and retention of doctors and other clinical staff in rural and remote Queensland remains a key priority area for the Bligh Government.

“The Queensland Health Rural Scholarship Scheme is just one way the state government is delivering more doctors, nurses and allied health staff for the Bush.

“Our ‘Queensland Country Practice’ national marketing campaign has had encouraging results from doctors interested in working as Medical Superintendent with Right of Private Practice as well as the Senior Experienced Relieving Service.

“The Rural Generalist Pathway continues to gain momentum, with 27 interns having commenced in 2007 and 5 additional Rural Generalist positions funded in 2007-08.

“In 2008, Queensland Health and the Post Graduate Medical Education Council of Queensland will pilot accredited rural generalist intern electives at 7 hospitals -- Stanthorpe, Innisfail, Atherton, Warwick, Roma, St George and Proserpine.

“And our Griffith University Medical Bonded Scholarship Scheme of 235 medical students is also well developed with the second intake of 50 scholarship holders having commenced studies in 2007. “

Public hospitals that will gain clinical staff through the Queensland Health Rural Scholarship Scheme in 2008 are:

Cloncurry: 1 Medical Officer with right of private practice.
Miles: 1 Medical Officer with right of private practice.
Tara: 1 Medical Officer with right of private practice.
Ayr: 1 Principal House Officer.
Innisfail: 1 Principal House Officer.
Gatton: 1 Medical Superintendent with right of private practice.
Thursday Island: 1 Senior Medical Officer.
Proserpine: 1 Senior Medical Officer.
Mossman: 2 Senior Medical Officers.
Goondiwindi: 1 Principal House Officer, 1 Registered Nurse, 1 Pharmacist and 1 Physiotherapist.
Kingaroy: 1 Senior Medical Officer, 2 Registered Nurses, 1 Podiatrist.
Yeppoon: 1 Medical Officer with right of private practice.
Mt Isa : 3 Registered Nurses, 1 Occupational Therapist, 1 Physiotherapist.
Chinchilla: 1 Registered Nurse.
Charters Towers: 2 Registered Nurses, 1 Pharmacist.
Longreach: 1 Registered Nurse.
Atherton: 1 Registered Nurse, 1 Physiotherapist, 1 Dentist.
Woorabinda: 1 Registered Nurse.
Charleville: 1 Pharmacist.
Emerald: 1 Social Worker.
Gayndah: 1 Occupational Therapist, 1 Physiotherapist.
Dalby: 1 Physiotherapist, 1 Speech Pathologist, 1 Dentist.
Roma: 1 Senior Medical Officer, 1 Speech Pathologist, 1 Social Worker.
Cairns Hinterland: 1 Oral Health Therapist.
Rockhampton: 1 medical intern.
Toowoomba: 4 medical interns, 6 Postgraduate Year 2 doctors.
Mackay: 1 medical intern, 1 Postgraduate Year 2 doctor.
Ipswich: 2 medical interns, 4 Postgraduate Year 2 doctors.
Cairns: 2 medical interns, 3 Postgraduate Year 2 doctors.
Townsville: 4 medical interns, 4 Postgraduate Year 2 doctors.

MEDIA: Paul Lynch 3234 1190