Dr Helen Haines’ pledge includes prac payments for allied health workers, a $33 million federal investment in training for rural healthcare workers and $2bn in rural hospital funding.
Independent federal MP for the Victorian seat of Indi Dr Helen Haines has released her health policy, aiming to improve healthcare training and support and increase capital investment in rural hospitals.
Last year, Labor announced a “prac payment” scheme that would allow teachers, nurses, midwives and social workers to access $319.50 per week while undertaking placements.
The scheme is set to go live from 1 July, subject to the outcome of the upcoming election.
Dr Haines, who was herself a nurse and a midwife, has promised to put pressure on the next government to extend this scheme to include other allied health professionals who are also required to undertake long placements for qualification.
“In regional and rural Australia, the health needs of our communities are growing, but our health services are falling behind leaving us with outdated facilities, insufficient training places and healthcare students struggling to train locally,” said Dr Haines.
“Indi does not have enough doctors, nurses, psychologists and allied health workers to care for our community and the result is people waiting too long, spending too much and travelling too far to access necessary healthcare.”
The AMA has also called in the past for medical students to be included in the paid placement scheme.
Dr Haines’ pledge includes $23 million to train rural doctors and $10 million for nursing and allied health training.
“La Trobe University in Albury Wodonga, in partnership with the University of Melbourne, offers medical school pathways but had more than 400 applications for only a handful of places,” said Dr Haines.
“The Rural Medical Pathway is a great opportunity to support people moving to work and train in the regions and something I would like to see expanded to support our health services.”
Dr Haines’ $2 billion rural hospitals fund looks to balance the inequity between rural and metropolitan hospital funding.
“The current funding system isn’t working for many rural and regional health services, across Indi and regional Australia,” she said.
“The Commonwealth provides billions of dollars in funding to city hospitals, but we don’t see the same commitment for rural health services that are essential to providing care close to home.
“It’s about time we properly invested in the rural communities that feed, clothe and power the nation.
“My plan will provide competitive and needs-based investment for new buildings, equipment and planning, so health services in regional areas from Corryong to Mansfield, Wodonga to Bright, don’t get left behind.”
Dr Haines will attend the Better Border Health rally at Victorian Parliament tomorrow to push for a single-site greenfield hospital for Albury Wodonga.
No date has been set for the 2025 election as of yet.
Keep up with the latest promises, asks and gaffes at our sister publication, The Medical Republic’s, election hub.
