29 March 2007

Media release

New Zealand can learn from Australia’s rural health service

An overview on the development of support for rural general practice in Australia will be given tomorrow by Dr David Campbell, president of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), at the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN) conference in Auckland.

“Australia is leading the world in the development of rural health service delivery, training and workforce expansion,” said Dr Tim Malloy, chair of the NZRGPN.

Tim said the NZRGPN is thrilled David, a rural doctor in eastern Victoria, is able to present a keynote session at the conference.

“We are very keen to learn more about ACRRM’s initiatives and how they might apply to New Zealand.”

Like New Zealand, Australia has seen a decline in the number of rural general practitioners, obstetricians and anaesthetists over the last 20-30 years.

To address the shortage, the Rural Doctors Association was established 20 years ago and 10 years later rural doctors across Australia formed ACRRM.

Dr Campbell said the recent accreditation of ACRRM by the Australian Medical Council has meant they now offer an accredited pathway for rural practitioners to prepare for rural practice.

“Many doctors feel they don’t have the skills and competencies to work in rural practice - our programme gives them the skills,” said Dr Campbell.

“This is just one of the strategies the rural health community is developing to stem the shortage.”

Dr Campbell will be joined in the session by GP and nurse representatives from the NZRGPN and RNZCGP (Royal New Zealand College of GPs) who will field questions on what New Zealand can learn from the initiatives taking place in Australia.

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