12. Rural health

RH1.1 Communicate effectively with other health professionals using available infrastructure
RH2.1 Deliver quality care to a rural and remote community
RH3.1 Promote health in the rural and/or remote community
RH3.2 Undertake a range of public health roles
RH4.1 Identify and ethically manage therapeutic boundary issues
RH4.2 Address professional isolation
RH5.1 Manage time and workloads

Required knowledge

• Continue building referral pathways for patients and building relationships with other organisations involved in healthcare in the local community

Required skills

• Work with local hospital(s) and other healthcare providers to maintain and advance skills relevant to community need

Required attitudes

• Maintain a positive attitude toward working and living in a rural or remote community by ensuring good time management and professional support
• Continue resilience building

Criteria

1. Develop maintain and review effective communication strategies for communicating with patients and other health professionals who are located remotely
2. Adapt communication to accommodate situations common in rural and remote areas and maintain effective communication infrastructure relevant to the practice setting
3. Identify appropriate modes of communication in the practice and the community
4. Link into existing networks of health professionals in rural and remote settings
5. Identify, cultivate and maintain skills relevant to the practice and specific to community needs
6. Work effectively with patients who live in isolation
7. Demonstrate leadership in emergency situations
8. Liaise with emergency services to enhance preparedness to deal with emergencies
9. Develop and deliver health promotion activities in the community to address identified risks
10. Establish and sustain health education and promotion networks
11. Implement strategies to minimise obstacles to accessing care
12.  Work effectively with government and nongovernment organisations and the community to optimise health service provision
13. Manage public health risks according to various guidelines
14. Effectively manage any conflicts between personal and professional roles
15. Effectively communicate limits of role boundaries to patients, staff and community members
16. Regularly review and implement plans to meet professional learning and support needs
17. Support and mentor colleagues in managing professional isolation
18. Set up systems to optimise time management for the practice in a rural community with limited resources