The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) has released its submission to the Commonwealth Government ahead of the 2025-2026 Federal Budget, calling for targeted investment to build a sustainable healthcare workforce and enhance healthcare delivery for rural, remote, and First Nations communities. 

ACRRM, the leading body for Rural Generalists (RGs) in Australia, is dedicated to strengthening healthcare outside urban centres through training, support, and professional standards for rural General Practitioners (GPs) and Rural Generalists (RGs).  

Each year, around $6.5 billion dollars is not spent on health services for people living in rural and remote areas that would have been spent if they were receiving the same level of services as their metropolitan counterparts(1). This budget underspend coincides with significantly lower health standards for the one-third of Australians who live outside major cities(2). Addressing this disparity requires investment in improving these peoples’ access to affordable, quality services. 

As Rural Generalist Medicine is set to be formally recognised in 2025, ACRRM is urging the Government to invest in the full mobilisation of this newly recognised workforce to improve affordable and accessible healthcare for communities across Australia’s vast rural landscape. 

ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin, says: "The recognition of RGs as a national workforce in 2025 presents a pivotal moment for rural healthcare in Australia.  

“Our submission outlines the urgent need for government action to ensure sustainable healthcare for rural, remote, and First Nations communities, ultimately improving health outcomes and ensuring no one is left behind in Australia’s healthcare system. 

"Strengthening the rural healthcare workforce is not just about numbers—it's about ensuring that every community has access to the care they deserve, no matter how remote they may be.  

“By investing in Rural Generalists, we are investing in the future of healthcare in Australia’s rural and remote areas, where the need is greatest, and the rewards are immeasurable," Dr Martin says. 

The key recommendations from ACRRM’s submission to the Federal Government include: 

1. Consolidate the Rural Generalist training pipeline 

  • $100 million over four years to increase the Flagship RG pathway to 500 training positions annually. 
  • $30 million annually to support prevocational training in rural communities, directly linking university graduates with careers as rural GPs and RGs. 

2. Secure and sustain rural women’s health services 

  • Commitment to take action to arrest rural maternity service closures. 
  • Secure targeted funding streams to incentivise the rural maternity workforce including RGs skilled in obstetrics and anaesthetics.  
  • An intergovernmental taskforce to fund and secure continuity and sustainability of rural maternity and women’s health services at risk of closures. 

3. Use Rural Generalist recognition to address the rural deficit in funded health services 

  • New RG-specific Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers to make specialised services more affordable and accessible in rural and remote areas.  
  • Funding to deliver a national RG awareness campaign that ensures patients, families, healthcare employers and rural communities, understand the role and capabilities of RGs. 

4. Retain and incentivise Rural Generalists for rural communities 

  • Rural health service providers infrastructure support funding to ensure communities have key infrastructure such as accommodation to enable positive experiences for rural healthcare professionals and their families. 
  • Recognise and remunerate the senior clinical advisory services of experience rural and remote doctors. 

"Rural Generalists are the backbone of healthcare in rural Australia, providing a wide range of services across diverse settings from general practice to hospital care,” Dr Martin adds. 

“To ensure these doctors remain in our rural communities, it’s essential we invest in their training, retention, and the infrastructure that supports their practice.” 

Read the full ACRRM Pre-Budget Submission here. 

ENDS 

[1] Nous Group (2023) Evidence base for additional investment in rural health in Australia: 23 June 2023  

[2] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) Rural and remote health, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 16 January 2025.