The RACGP National Rural Faculty (NRF) welcomes the Senate Committee report on the factors affecting the supply of health services and medical professionals in rural areas.
The report (which provides 18 key recommendations that aim to shift urban-rural health disparities and redress service imbalance) is the culmination of the 10 month inquiry involving 132 public submissions and public hearings in Alice Springs, Darwin, Townsville, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga and Canberra from February to July.
Dr Kathy Kirkpatrick, Chair of the RACGP NRF, said the Senate Committee report provides a comprehensive review of the key factors affecting supply of health services including general practice, and if implemented, will be effective in shifting long-standing health disparities between rural, remote and urban communities in Australia.
“The committee has identified the key areas that require urgent policy attention including the way need is defined and funding distributed, to workforce shortages and gaps in resources and services, as well as medical training capacity and associated support issues.”
Most notable was the committee’s strong recommendation to replace the current Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA) classification scheme deeming it untenable.
“The NRF has long advocated for this change and sees it as the key issue which has led to significant policy failure and funding discrepancies over many years. Moving to an approach that goes beyond the current locational aspects toward analysis based on local need and context is required.
“Until now, there has been resistance to formulate a patient-needs based system. A national approach to analysis and benchmarking is an essential component for rural health workforce reform together with ensuring the right mix of recruitment and retention incentives across the training continuum,” Dr Kirkpatrick said.
Dr Kirkpatrick said she was pleased that the report placed a strong emphasis on the role of general practice in rural communities.
“The committee recognised that the capacity of, and equitable access to, quality general practice is central to bringing about lasting change in these areas. The advanced skills practised by GPs in rural and remote Australia, both procedural and non-procedural, was also acknowledged together with the need to ensure the right skill mix appropriate to local need.”
The important contribution of International Medical Graduates (IMGs) in rural communities was also highlighted together with the need to redress current inequities. The committee called for the findings of the recent House of Representatives review ‘Lost in the Labyrinth’ to be implemented.
“The need to ensure adequate support and supervision for International Medical Graduates was a key focus of the NRF submission and the committee’s recommendation and backing of the House of Representatives report sends a strong message to Government.”
In calling for the senate committee’s recommendations to be implemented, Dr Kirkpatrick said that whilst it may take considerable courage to carry out reform of this kind; the RACGP National Rural Faculty awaits the opportunity to work with Government to implement meaningful and lasting change to improve the health of those living in regional, rural and remote communities.
To view the RACGP NRF’s response to into the Senate Community Affairs Committee report, visit here.