Rural health system: Concerns over population surge in country Australia

A record number of people are moving out of the city, but rural health groups want you to know this before considering a tree change.

Australian health groups are worried an increased demand for services from a rising rural population will result in poorer health outcomes.

A surge in the number of people moving from cities to regional and rural Australia is sparking concerns for an already strained rural health system.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data released last month showed capital cities had a net loss of 11,200 people from internal migration in the three months to September last year – the largest quarterly net loss on record.

And the number of people moving to regional Australia is only expected to rise.

Before coronavirus struck, Victoria’s regional population was forecast to increase from 1.6 million in 2018 to 2.4 million in 2056.

The Regional Australia Institute will tomorrow launch a multimillion-dollar campaign, backed by the Federal Government, aimed at getting metro residents to move to regional Australia.

But despite rural health groups acknowledging an increase in population is a welcome boost for rural economies, they fear the increased demand for services will result in poorer health outcomes.

And they want city folk to know what they’re getting into before they move.

National Rural Health Alliance chief executive Gabrielle O’Kane said more needed to be done to ensure an “already impeded” rural health system could cope with an influx of residents.

“We still need to close the gap in equitable health care for rural communities through research, policy development and clinical innovation, such as structural enhancements to funding models and better use of technology to overcome workforce shortages, and to improve affordability and access to services,” she said.

Ms O’Kane hoped the renewed interest to get Australians to move regional translated to quicker national health reforms, but stressed there must be honest promotion of the challenges of living away from the city.

“For example, people enjoy the benefits of living in smaller communities with a strong sense of community spirit, less congestion and often more affordable housing,” she said. “Yet the disparities in the rural health system are a significant disadvantage.”

A new research paper from the Royal Flying Doctor Service found 42,805 Australians don’t have access to any primary health care services within a 60 minute drive.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service agreed many rural and remote areas would not be able to handle a rise in population.

“An increase in population will put further strain on areas already struggling,” a RFDS spokeswoman said.

“One hopes that migration from cities would also include doctors, nurses, dentists, mental health practitioners and other clinicians to townships and communities that are trying to build health service capacity.”

RFDS wants to see all Australians have access to primary health care services within a 60-minute drive.

More than 65,000 people currently do not have access to a GP within that drive time.

National Rural Health Commissioner Ruth Stewart.

National Rural Health Commissioner Professor Ruth Stewart told The Weekly Times while increased numbers of rural residents would stress an already fragile system, it could ultimately help see greater change.

“It should be noted that increased rural population numbers could make more rural services viable in the long term because more communities will exceed the threshold population to support such services,” she said.

“New rural residents with experience of the level of health service provided in urban areas are likely to add their voices to calls for equity of access to health care across the regions.”

THE FACTS

The number of people without access to primary health care services within a 60-minute drive

Any primary health care services: 42,805

GP: 65,050

Nurse-led clinics: 440,387

Dental: 142,269

Mental health services: 106,848

Source: ‘Equitable Patient Access to Primary Healthcare in Australia’ research paper published by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, December 2020

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