Support For Rural Capacity Building - Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners National Rural Faculty Encouraged

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 03 Feb 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) National Rural Faculty is encouraged by the announcement of the additional funding under the Federal Government's new National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP).

"This allocation of existing federal budget funding under the NRRHIP will assist in maintaining access to high quality health services in the bush," said Dr Kathryn Kirkpatrick, RACGP National Rural Faculty Chair.

"Ensuring quality rural health services means getting doctors out into the bush and keeping them there. Support for infrastructure is an important part of the sustained investment needed to bring rural health services in line with the care available to people in Australia's big cities.

"Polling of our rural faculty members in 2007 highlighted the importance of infrastructure to rural GP recruitment and retention. The poll also confirmed that a lack of suitable consultation and training spaces significantly limits the capacity of rural general practice to offer exemplary medical education.

"The RACGP is pleased that many of the funded projects announced last week support increased training capacity for medical students and registrars.

"For some time inadequate infrastructure has been shown to be a barrier for general practice to increase both registrar and medical student training as well as access to allied health services. The investments announced by the government are a practical approach to addressing these barriers.

"The RACGP is keen to work with all levels of government to ensure the delivery of quality general practice care and opportunities in rural and regional Australia," said Dr Kirkpatrick.

With the highest rural membership of any medical college in Australia, the RACGP has long advocated for increased funding to recruit and retain doctors in rural and regional Australia where they are most needed. To read more about the RACGP National Rural Faculty, visit http://www.racgp.org.au/rural

Further information on the NRRHIP program, including who can apply and funding information, visit here.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian general practice. The RACGP has the largest general practitioner membership of any medical organisation in Australia and represents the majority of Australia's general practitioners.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

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