Bligh Government strengthens rural health workforce

A special unit aimed at establishing training pathways for rural and remote health professionals is being set up by Queensland Health.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson told a national conference in Yeppoon today that the Allied Health and Oral Health Clinical Education and Training Unit was an important element in the development of the health workforce for rural Queensland.

Mr Robertson said the unit would coordinate clinical education and training for pre-entry students, new graduates, and long-term employees of Queensland Health by establishing training pathways for each discipline.

“One of the cornerstones of our approach to delivering quality health services to rural Queensland is to have a highly trained and properly prepared workforce,” Mr Robertson said.

“It doesn’t matter if people live in the Brisbane CBD or Birdsville, they have a right to quality health care, but providing this care to rural and remote areas needs special services delivered by special people.

“Allied health professionals are a vital part of the service delivery team and we not only have to attract more of them, we have to make it attractive for them to work and remain in rural areas.”

Mr Robertson told the 2008 National Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health Conference that Queensland was delivering on its promise to attract more health professionals.

He said $2.05 million had been allocated over the life of the 2007 Health Practitioners Certified Agreement for rural and remote employees’ clinical education and training requirements.

This was in addition to specific professional development and rural living allowances.

“Queensland Health also has a number of schemes designed to expose allied health students to a range of clinical experience that can only be gained through service outside the metropolitan and major regional centres”, Mr Robertson said.

“These include the Rural and Remote Scholarship Scheme, the Allied Health Area of Priority Scholarship Scheme, and the Allied Health Clinical Placement Subsidy Scheme.

“We have recognised the vital importance allied health professionals play in the delivery of health services in rural and remote communities. The demand for their services is growing and will continue to grow as more and more emphasis is placed on primary health care and preventative care.”

Mr Robertson said there were more than 600 Queensland Health employees working in rural and remote areas who were covered by the Health Practitioner Agreement.

He said isolation and lack of support mechanisms had made it difficult to retain the workforce in the past but major improvements were now in place to reverse the trend.

MEDIA: Martin Philip 3225 2680 or 0407 675 008