Regional Health

Under the Albanese Labor Government, Regional Australians face growing challenges to their health and wellbeing:

• Higher rates of illness and disease
• Trouble seeing a GP or other health professional when you need one
• Higher rates of hospital admission
• The need to travel far from home for specialist care
• Higher death rates

Did you know government healthcare spending per person is lower in Regional Australia? The gap is $8.35 billion every year. And it is getting worse.

In much of Regional Australia, it is hard to get the healthcare you need, when and where you need it. The Nationals see this as unacceptable. We will fight day in, day out, to make sure Regional Australians get better access to high quality healthcare close to home.

We will fight for:

• Training our own health workforce. We will fund more university places for doctor training in the regions. That means country kids can study to be doctors close to home. Research shows this makes them ten times more likely to stay rural. So it is easier to see a doctor when you need one. We will also fund the supervision of qualified doctors and upgrades to rural campuses.
• Better access to healthcare. We will restore Distribution Priority Areas — the rules that direct international doctors to where they are most needed. This makes sure Regional Australia gets its fair share of these essential doctors.
• Supporting and keeping health workers in regional communities. We will build social and cultural connections. We will back housing and family support, including flexible childcare.
• More affordable healthcare. We will lift Medicare funding for Nurse Practitioners (NPs). After two years of supervised practice, patients of an NP will get Medicare rebates for every service the NP is qualified to provide. That is, all item numbers within their scope of practice.
• High quality healthcare close to home, and careers in the regions. We will create a new on-the-job training model for regional nurses and midwives. Financial support will make it appealing and sustainable to train and work in the regions.
• Affordable, accessible healthcare in small rural areas. A fund will make sure you can see a doctor, nurse or allied health professional in areas that struggle to provide these services. Everyone deserves care close to home. Not just people in big towns and regional centres.