LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation 1
2.53 The committee recommends that Rural and
Regional Health Australia, as part of the Department of Health and Ageing,
prioritise the collection of robust and meaningful data on rural health as part
of the forthcoming review of rural health programs.
Recommendation 2
2.54 The committee recommends that Rural and
Regional Health Australia, as part of the Department of Health and Ageing,
review the current literature from key stakeholders and universities and develop
a strategy to address the gaps in research and knowledge affecting rural health
service delivery.
Recommendation 3
3.52 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth place
on the agenda of the Council of Australian Governments' Standing Council on Health
an item involving consideration of the expansion of rural generalist programs.
It further recommends that, as part of that agenda item, the Council consider
an evaluation of the Queensland Health Generalist Program and whether it should
be rolled out in other jurisdictions.
Recommendation 4
3.53 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth
government work with education providers and the medical profession to address
the issue of the inadequate supply of rural placements for medical interns in
their pre-vocational and vocational years.
Recommendation 5
4.52 The committee recommends that the HECS
Reimbursement Scheme available for doctors be extended to nurses and allied
health professionals relocating to rural and remote areas.
Recommendation 6
4.53 The committee recommends that the post of
Rural and Regional Allied Health Adviser be established within Rural and
Regional Health Australia to coordinate and advise on allied health service
provision in rural and regional Australia.
Recommendation 7
4.94 The committee endorses the House of
Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing's report Lost in the
Labyrinth: Report on the inquiry into registration processes and support for
overseas trained doctors and recommends that the Commonwealth Government
accept and implement the recommendations contained therein.
Recommendation 8
5.67 The committee recommends that the
classification systems currently used for workforce incentives purposes be
replaced with a scheme that takes account of regularly updated geographical,
population, workforce, professional and social data to classify areas where
recruitment and retention incentives are required.
Recommendation 9
5.68 The committee recommends that the revised
workforce incentive scheme include a comprehensive, public evaluation process.
Recommendation 10
6.23 The committee recommends the publication of
those cases where universities do not meet the target of 25 per cent of medical
students from a rural background, and subsequent publication of information
about the sanctions that are applied in those cases.
Recommendation 11
6.24 The committee recommends that the commonwealth
government explore options to provide incentives to encourage medical students
to study at regional universities offering an undergraduate medical course.
Recommendation 12
6.25 The committee recommends that the definition
of a rural student for the purposes of a quota be reviewed, and that the review
should consider strengthening the definition to only include students who have
spent four out of six years at secondary school in a rural area; four out of
the last six years with their home address in a rural area; or city students
showing 'ruralmindedness', defined as an orientation to work in rural and
regional areas, and demonstrated by a willingness to be bonded.
Recommendation 13
6.62 The committee recommends that the
Commonwealth, state and territory governments review their incentives for rural
GPs with the aim of ensuring that rural GPs who provide training to
pre-vocational and vocational students are not financially disadvantaged.
Recommendation 14
6.63 The committee recommends the Commonwealth government
consider the establishment of a sub-program within the National Rural Locum
Program that would provide support for rural GPs to employ locums specifically
to enable the GP to deliver training to pre-vocational and vocational medical
students in rural areas.
Recommendation 15
6.76 The committee recommends that a coordinated
accommodation strategy for be developed for rural health workers, including Aboriginal
Health Workers, in the government's forthcoming review of rural health
programs.
Recommendation 16
7.41 The committee recommends that where existing after
hours services are operating effectively there should be no disruption to their
administration or funding.
Recommendation 17
7.43 The committee recommends that Medicare Locals
Needs Assessment Reports are made public and a process of engagement and
consultation is undertaken.
Recommendation 18
7.46 The committee recommends that the Department
of Health and Ageing prepare a brief for COAG's Standing Council on Health on
existing or emerging gaps affecting the delivery of health services to rural
and remote communities caused by mis-alignment between Commonwealth and state
policy, including options for measures to remediate such gaps. The brief is to
be based on engagement with relevant stakeholders, including state and
territory governments, Medicare Locals, representatives of peak bodies such as
RDAA, SARRAH and NRHA at both national and state level, and to be provided on
at least a bi-annual basis.
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