Rural doctors doubt Federal health commitment to the bush

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia says it is not satisfied with the federal health minister's commitments to rural health.

A meeting last week between the minister, Nicola Roxon, state governments and industry leaders to discuss a five year funding plan for the country's public health system, has apparently left the Rural Doctors Association of Australia dissatisfied.

The Association says it doubts the federal health minister's commitments to rural health even though she has as yet not given a specific figure on the funding agreement.

According to the association's president, Dr. Peter Rischbieth, no specific initiatives as far as rural health policy or a quarantining of funding into rural communities has been announced and the lack of commitment is disappointing.

Dr. Rischbieth says it is essential that there is an appropriate quarantining of funding for health services in rural Australia because unless that happens the health outcomes of rural Australians will continue to be much worse than those who live in metropolitan areas.

The Rural Doctors Association says at least 1,000 doctors are needed immediately in rural and remote Australia to ensure even basic medical coverage in the bush.

The Association estimates that in 2005-06 alone rural Australians received $157 million less in Medicare-funded general practice services than those living in the cities.

Approximately $100 million of the Commonwealth’s Private Health Insurance subsidy is diverted annually to urban Australia instead of rural Australia, because those living in the bush have less access to private healthcare facilities and therefore have a lower take-up of private health insurance.

The Association says there are also issues with the number of rural maternity units which have been closed in the last 10 years and the waiting times many rural Australians experience for a basic consultation.

Over the past 15 years less than 5% of Queensland and NSW medical graduates have gone bush.

Meanwhile rural Australians live 3 years less than those living in the cities and indigenous Australians 17 years less.

Rural doctors are over-worked and less well paid and one in five rural practices are not economically viable - so there is little wonder medical graduates are reluctant to want to work in remote rural communities.

Dr. Rischbieth says the Rural Doctors Association believes it is essential that there is an adequate workforce available in rural Australia to deliver more services in a timely fashion to rural patients and rural communities.