Australia's leading medical organisations are calling on state and federal governments to revolutionise the rural health system, with research revealing a spending shortfall of $6.5 billion.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The National Rural Health Alliance, whose members include medical colleges, Aboriginal health organisations and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, commissioned the analysis that shows each rural Australian misses out on $850 in health spending per year.
The report by consultancy firm Nous Group found those who live in the country receive far less funding per capita than those in urban areas and workforce shortages make the problem worse.
"Further action to address these inequities would improve both social justice and economic prosperity," the report released on Friday said.
"Rural industries such as farming, mining and tourism make up a disproportionately large ... portion of Australia's economic output.
"Poor health service access is a disincentive to live in rural areas and poorer health outcomes limit the potential of rural industries."
The alliance is calling for funding of place-based rural health programs, which are locally delivered and target specific needs of communities, along with more country-based education that would allow doctors and nurses to train in the regions.
It also wants a national rural health strategy to streamline complicated and varied funding initiatives.
"Tweaking around the edges with trials and funding that stops after three years has exhausted rural communities," the alliance's chief executive Susi Tegen said.
"The 48 national members of the alliance - all passionate about rural Australia - eagerly await the much-needed direction of funds to redesign primary health care in rural Australia at the grassroots."
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said the report was yet another wake-up call about the state of rural health.
Associate Professor Michael Clements said it was not financially viable to run a GP practice in many rural and remote areas and that needed to be addressed by governments.
Dr Clements, the college's rural chair, said locums who work remotely need to be housed and paid more, while international medical graduates should not be held back from working in Australia.
"More must be done to address health disparities that leave many communities outside of major cities suffering inferior health outcomes," he said.
The report acknowledged it was difficult to pinpoint rural disparity because of the nation's complex public and private system and it could not measure all government expenditure.
"There is clear evidence that per-person spending on healthcare is not equitable," the authors said.
Australian Associated Press
