The Coalition is working to get more and better trained medical experts into rural and regional areas with its health policy announced last week.
Federal Member for Wright, Scott Buchholz said hospitals in Wright are in desperate need for more frontline services, from highly skilled doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.
This is a huge issue here and I support the Coalitions focus on helping busy local doctors and nurses spend more time treating patients and financial assistance for students from rural and remote areas to further their studies in the local area said Mr. Buchholz.
The Coalition is committed to rebuilding general practice and assist them to expand their practices and provide space for teaching medical students. The Coalition will commit $52.5 million to provide at least 175 grants of up to $300,000 targeted to rural and regional areas.
The Coalition will also commit $13.4 million to provide 500 additional scholarships to a maximum of $30,000 per scholarship for nurses and allied health professionals in areas of need to undertake further study.
Another $40 million over four years will support up to 100 additional intern places in private hospitals, with priority given to positions and rotations outside major metro areas to bolster the medical workforce in rural and regional areas.
Importantly, a Federal Coalition government would work to cut administration and bureaucracy in favour of more frontline services, and work with States and Territories to support more local control of hospital services.
Ive always believed that hospitals like the Beaudesert Hospital can operate better at a community level than under the control of bureaucrats in Canberra or another capital city, said Mr. Buchholz.
The Coalition has a strong record on health. As health Minister, Tony Abbott increased funding for public hospitals from $7.49 billion in 2003-04 to $9.76 billion in 2007-08. Just last year, the Federal Labor government cut $1.6 billion from the Health Budget.
