July 9, 2010
Doctors from Melbourne are now able to receive the same financial incentive for moving to work in the popular coastal town of Torquay as they would for moving to work in Maffra, Heyfield, Rosedale or Yarram.
The financial incentives will be provided under the Rudd-Gillard Government’s new ‘General Practice Incentives Program’ which began on July 1. The program has already drawn heavy criticism from the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA).
The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester, who has been campaigning for additional government funding to attract and retain the rural health workforce, has joined the RDAA in calling for a review of the program.
Under the program a doctor who moves from Melbourne to an area classed as ‘Inner Regional’ under the Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Areas (RRMA) classification system will receive a $15,000 payment over two years.
In Gippsland smaller townships such as Maffra, Heyfield, Rosedale or Yarram are all classed as ‘Inner Regional’ along with the larger towns of Morwell, Traralgon and Sale.
However other Victorian towns classed as ‘Inner Regional’ include Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Torquay and Anglesea. In Tasmania, both Hobart and Launceston are classified as ‘Inner Regional’ qualifying doctors who move over Bass Strait for the financial incentive.
Mr Chester has highlighted comments from RDAA Vice-President, Dr Paul Mara, who in a media statement said ‘that while the idea was good – with payments increasing with the level of isolation – the program falls to pieces when put into practice as with so many of this government’s programs (think insulation bats)’.
“There is a desperate need for a better system of incentive payments to attract doctors to regional areas,” Mr Chester said.
“The RDAA has already reported that at least 1800 additional doctors are urgently required in regional communities across Australia and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has flagged that more than one-third of current doctors intend to retire in the next five years.
“But, the Rudd-Gillard Government’s General Practice Incentives Program in its current form isn’t the answer to solving the rural health workforce crisis.
“The government must take on board suggestions from industry groups such as the RDAA and review the program so that it better identifies real regional communities and provides incentives to attract doctors to where they’re needed most.”
In the media statement, Dr Mara criticised the RRMA classification system used by the Rudd-Gillard Government in the General Practice Incentives Program.
“The problem is in the classification system. The zones are completely ridiculous, based on some statistical data from the ABS Remoteness Areas (RA) system and have no real bearing on the actual isolation or the level of health services available to the area,” Dr Mara said.
Mr Chester said ironically the RRMA classification system is the same one that has disadvantaged many Gippsland students aiming to qualify for the Independent Youth Allowance by fulfilling a ‘gap year’ after completing high school.
Mr Chester has written to the Minister for Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery asking him for an urgent review of the General Practice Incentives Program.