The evaluation of a program designed to improve the effectiveness of Australia’s rural and remote health workforce has led to the program being extended.
Minister for Regional Health, Mark Coulton said the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program (RHMT) effectively addressed workforce shortages by funding a network of rural clinical schools, university departments of rural health and regional training hubs across rural and remote Australia.
Mr Coulton said the Program evaluation, commissioned by the Department of Health and released in August last year, demonstrated that the presence of universities in regional, rural and remote communities had social and economic benefits to those communities and their health services.
“The evaluation demonstrates that universities continue to provide health students with quality rural clinical training experiences,” Mr Coulton said.
“The review’s recommendations aim to build on the success of the 20-year-old program,” he said.
“These recommendations recognise the teaching innovations and maturity of the program, while allowing for some areas of reform.”
Mr Coulton said the reforms, to be phased in from 1 January, would focus on key Program outcomes such as student selection and quality placements; strengthening research networks; and responding to community and workforce needs.
“These reforms will open a new chapter in its success story,” he said.
“They will further enhance its key role in increasing the number of qualified health professionals in rural, regional and remote Australia, providing high quality training and helping to bridge the city-country divide in access to health services.”
The 287-page Independent Evaluation of the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program can be accessed on the Department of Health’s website at this PS News link.
