State government offers up to $15,000 to attract health workers to SA

The state government is offering up to $15,000 to healthcare workers around the world to move to SA – and people already here can benefit.

A new campaign has been launched to lure health workers from interstate and overseas to South Australia – with financial incentives of up to $15,000 on offer.

The state government’s For Work. For Life campaign will run across printed and social media ads, and aims to entice healthcare workers with relocation costs, competitive salaries and career opportunities.

It will target potential nurses, midwives, doctors, mental health professionals, specialists, and health workers before the campaign wraps up at the end of August.

The campaign will also target overseas health workers in countries such as Canada, the United States, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom – where disgruntled health workers have been striking against pay and working conditions.

Those who sign a contract with SA Health before the end of the year will be eligible for financial reimbursement of up to $15,000.

The financial incentives, funded by the state government, will help workers cover relocation costs such as travel, short-term accommodation, and other reasonable expenses.

Eligible applicants include future workers who relocate to SA or existing workers who move from a metro location to the regions to fill a vacancy.

Anyone moving to a metropolitan location within 100km of the Adelaide CBD could receive up to $10,00 while those who relocate regionally (greater than 100km outside of the Adelaide CBD) could receive up to $13,000.

Successful applicants moving to a more remote location will be rewarded with a $15,000 relocation payout.

Health Minister Chris Picton said the incentives aimed to alleviate “financial barriers for people considering relocation”.

“We hope the combination of supports through these reimbursements and the promotion of our brilliant state will encourage health professionals,” Mr Picton said.

Opposition Leader David Speirs said the state government had a “hopeless record” when it came to dealing with the state’s health crisis.

“Over recent months, Ashton Hurn and I have been making pleas to the state government to respond to our need for more health workers to come into our system,” he said.

Though Mr Speirs “cautiously welcomed” the new campaign, he said he believed it was “nowhere near as competitive as other states”.

The new campaign comes after the state government’s promise to boost hospitals and health sites with hundreds more staff.

“We promised to deliver hundreds more health workers to provide better care for the community – and that’s exactly what we’re doing, ahead of schedule,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said.

Since March last year, 500 additional staff including nurses, doctors, ambos and allied health workers, have been injected into the state’s health care systems.