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Rural plan a good starting point
The Australian Medical Association of Victoria has welcomed the State Government’s release of its rural health strategy but cautioned that there was a great deal of work yet to be done to provide a meaningful blueprint for the future of rural health in Victoria.
AMA Victoria had called for a rural health plan to give leadership and direction to rural health service delivery after a spate of closures of services by hospital management and disputes between hospital management and medical staff.
“The strategy is a very broadbrush, high level document which requires a great deal more work to provide the leadership and sense of direction to address the critical health care issues facing rural Victorians,” Dr Yates said.
“This document basically confirms the status quo however it does provide a framework for the next stage of the planning process – the much needed consultation,” Dr Yates said.
“The document acknowledges consultation does need to take place at the local level. AMA Victoria would like to be assured that this consultation is meaningful and includes all those with a stake in the provision, accessibility and quality of rural health services.
“We welcome the recognition of the importance of mental health and the aging rural population as key issues to be addressed, but there are no dollars attached to the plan to give confidence that things will improve for the most vulnerable people in our community.”
“Of considerable concern is the government’s pursuit of a workforce redesign ideology which proposes to give rural Victorians a lower level of health care than their city cousins by promoting the substitution of doctors with nurses.
“The document makes the point that rural residents in general are disadvantaged compared with metropolitan residents in relation to their long term health prospects.
“Rather than further disadvantage rural Victorians, and exacerbate the shortage of nurses in this state, the government needs to look at attracting and keeping doctors in rural Victoria and support doctors seeking efficiencies through advances in IT and expanded roles of their nursing staff working within their clinical overview and accountability.”
AMA Victoria also has concerns that the document does not address the problems which have emerged since the government removed doctors and other skilled professionals and business people from hospital boards.
“The issues that have emerged in rural health services over recent years have highlighted the need to once again welcome high level business people to local hospital boards.”
Dr Yates said while there were a number of initiatives under way to support rural service management, financial and lifestyle incentives were necessary to attract good managers to rural health services.
“AMA Victoria looks forward to getting more detail from the government on the content of the document and the consultation process proposed for the next stage.”
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