A program to attract interstate health workers to Queensland has been announced by Queensland Health.
The Workforce Attraction Incentive Transfer Scheme will provide interstate and international medical practitioners with a payment of up to $70,000 to move to Queensland with $20,000 payments for other healthcare workers.
Applicants can take their pick from one of more than 2,400 communities to work in. To qualify for the payments they must work there for more than 12 months.
Minister for Health, Yvette D’Ath said it had become necessary to think outside the square to lure doctors to the State.
“Innovative policies like this means every dollar we spend works hard delivering the right care at the right time, in the right place,” Ms D’Ath said.
“With access to bulk billing GPs at historic lows, the Government is taking steps to ensure our regional communities have access to world-class doctors.”
She described the scheme as a win-win — “more quality healthcare workers in our unique regional and remote communities, more efficient use of resources and great career memories to be made”.
“We welcome healthcare workers to experience why we all love Queensland, while also making a new life delivering positive results and peace of mind for our regional and remote communities,” Ms D’Ath said.
Healthcare workers eligible for this incentive are medical doctors and specialists, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce members, dentists, oral health practitioners and scientific officers.
