The Royal Flying Doctor Service is receiving $400,000 from the Morrison Joyce Government to address health issues in Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett by developing a new primary care model.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said the funding will help to research, develop, and co-design a multidisciplinary model of primary care to better service patients in these areas.
Mr Coulton said the Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) will receive the $400,000 investment to address the health care challenges of geographically isolated rural and remote communities with limited primary health services.
“The flying doctor will work with the local communities and health professionals to develop long term solutions to plug gaps in primary care services for the benefit of patients and their families living here,” Mr Coulton said.
Federal Regional Health Minister Dr David Gillespie said The Nationals in Government continue to invest in innovative health care trials to ensure people living in regional, rural and remote Australia have access to safe, quality and targeted health care services.
“Delivered through the Primary Care Rural Innovative Multidisciplinary Models (PRIMM) grant program, this funding will help with research, development, and co-design of a multidisciplinary model of primary care for people in the Walgett, Bourke and Brewarrina areas,” Dr Gillespie said.
“As a doctor who practiced medicine in regional Australia for many years, I know that communities can have diverse health care needs and face different challenges.
National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart said tackling the health inequities faced by people living in rural and remote Australia is about ensuring access to quality healthcare.
“It’s critical that no matter where you live in Australia you have access to safe, quality health care services,” Professor Stewart said.
“With this grant, people living in outback NSW will benefit from the design of targeted, appropriate multidisciplinary health care models that benefit their local communities and lead to better health outcomes.”
PRIMM grants provide funding of up to $400,000 over two years, for six sub-regions across Australia. The PRIMM program is part of the Morrison Joyce Government’s Health Workforce Program, which aims to deliver improved health workforce outcomes and support rural outreach health services.