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(07) 3105 7800
Turrbal and Jagera Country
Level 4, 348 Edward Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Urgent Funding Reform Required for GP & Allied Health Practices
Dr Ross Maxwell, Chair of Health Workforce Queensland, stated that “we are looking forward to fresh opportunities with the incoming government to commit real funding to help our remote and rural communities with access to doctors and health workforce when and where they need them, both now and into the future”.
Dr Maxwell called for robust Federal and State planning to improve the models of care in Queensland and to support the long-term future of primary health care and the existing workforce.
“There is currently too much stress on existing GP, allied health and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Many services are considered to be unsustainable from financial and workforce perspectives. Solutions will involve additional workforce and innovative service delivery models fully supported by enhanced funding”.
“It is a time for genuine partnership in remote and rural communities and it has never been more important to work collaboratively at the local, state and federal levels to address these health workforce and health service challenges”.
Sarah Venn, Health Workforce Queensland’s Executive Manager Workforce & Service Planning, presented the findings of a recent review of general practice viability at the RDAQ 2022 conference in Gladstone on Friday 10June 2022.The review gauged the perceptions of practitioners and managers in remote and rural Queensland on the issues that impact the sustainability and viability of primary health care practices. The single most important response was the need for Medicare and funding reform to better support remote and rural practitioners.
Dr Maxwell stated, “the evidence provided to the Senate Inquiry as well as the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry highlighted the need for urgent funding reform for remote and rural communities”. Dr Maxwell is looking forward to working with the Federal and State governments to face these important challenges.
Contact
Chris Mitchell
Chief Executive Officer
P: +61 7 3105 7811 | M: +61 438821129
E: cmitchell@healthworkforce.com.au
