ACRRM welcomes budget announcements

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) acknowledges the Government’s continued investment in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Federal Budget and welcomes its commitment to address the current workforce maldistribution; promote longer term reform and support infrastructure and services that will address the healthcare needs of all Australians who live outside the urban footprint.

ACRRM President Dr Ewen McPhee says that this has been an extraordinary year which has called for an extraordinary response, including through this budget.

“The College recognises the Government’s speedy response in providing Rural Generalists and the primary health care sector more broadly, with the resources needed to support their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Government will continue its COVID response investments in telehealth, infrastructure such as testing and respiratory clinics and mental health programs, with the latter being supported by an increase to the number of consultations available under the Better Access mental health plan.

“A significant part of this response has been the expansion of funding for telehealth consultations which in turn has increased the capacity to deliver important primary care services, including in rural and remote areas.

“ACRRM advocated for increased access for many years before the pandemic and welcomed its rapid introduction as a COVID response tool. We are pleased to see it continue in the shorter term and we will work with the Government and other stakeholders on the development of longer-term, permanent telehealth initiatives.

Dr McPhee also welcomed announcements that are focussed beyond the pandemic, saying that healthcare infrastructure and services will play an important part in the economic and social recovery from COVID-19, particularly in rural and remote communities.

“Alongside having the capacity to act promptly to provide resources to deal with situations such as a pandemic, we need to be prepared to meet other existing and emerging health challenges.

We welcome the acknowledgement of the need to address the current health workforce maldistribution with funding announcements for innovative models to deliver primary healthcare; and the expansion of the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program (RHMT) to support place-based training and retention of health professionals in regional, rural and remote settings.

 “Mental Health funding of $5 billion is also welcome.  In addition to targeted support for people living in rural and remote areas, we will continue to advocate for ongoing support for health professionals, including rural and remote GPs (or Rural Generalists) who are key to providing these services.

“We note that record spending has been allocated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, with $4 billion committed over four years to Indigenous Primary Health Care through the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS).

 “The College looks forward to working with the government to support both the shorter-term response to the COVID pandemic and to secure long term reform which will secure a sustainable health care system which improves access to services for people living in rural and remote areas and meets the needs of all Australians."