Program to push 340 junior doctors into Qld regions, rural areas

Hundreds of junior doctors will have the chance to train in Queensland regions as part of a $17m program aimed at attracting doctors to careers in rural medicine. See if your community will benefit.

Hundreds of junior Queensland doctors will have the chance to undertake training in regional and rural areas in a boost to the local health workforce thanks to a federal government program aimed at attracting doctors to careers in rural healthcare.

More than $17 million in funding has been provided to Queensland Health through the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program.

Almost 340 junior doctors across Queensland will be able to broaden their experience and skill base as part of a national program designed to boost doctor numbers in regional and rural areas.

The funding will allow junior doctors employed by Queensland Hospital and Health Services to undertake a rotation at a rural private general practice or approved primary care facility over the next two years.

This includes Wide Bay, Townsville, Mackay, Darling Downs, Central Queensland, and Cairns and Hinterland, as well as Bamaga, Thursday Island, Cooktown Hospital and primary care services in Far North Queensland.

Mark Butler. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Shannon Fentiman. File picture

“Ensuring that people who live in rural and regional areas can get the health care they need closer to home is a priority for the Australian Government,” Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said.

“We know that doctors who train in rural and remote regions are more likely to stay in the regions.

“Our John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program provides a unique opportunity for doctors to live and work in rural and remote communities, build relationships with patients, and increase their skillset.

“And it provides patients in these areas with a more stable, locally-trained workforce they can count on.”

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the hope is that doctors will experience how fulfilling it can be to work outside the cities.

“The Palaszczuk government continues to invest heavily in boosting our state’s health workforce, particularly in regional areas, and our involvement in the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program could also play an important role.

“We want to enhance the appeal of rural training for the next generation of GPs and Rural Generalists and encourage them to consider a career outside the metropolitan setting,” Ms Fentiman said.

“By taking part in the program, these 340 junior doctors will have the chance to work alongside experienced rural doctors where they will be exposed to the broad nature of medicine practised in rural communities.

“Our hope is they will see how wonderful and fulling it is to live and work in regional and rural communities and choose to stay.

“If these junior doctors take up careers in rural medicine, the communities will benefit from an increased level of health service and a more stable, locally-trained workforce.”

Participating General Practices and primary care facilities:

• Emerald Medical Centre

• Theodore Medical Centre

• Goondiwindi Medical Centre

• Ochre Medical – Oakey

• Millmerran MPHS

• Awal Medical Centre (Sarina)

• Affinity Family Medical (Cannonvale)

• South Side Medical Centre (Mackay)

• Ashfield Country Practice (Windermere)

• Grace Family Practice and Skin Care (Bargara)

• Monto Hospital

• Mundubbera MPHS

• Babinda MPHC

• Mossman MPHS

• Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation (Yarrabah)

• Ayr Health Service

• Gold City Medical Centre (Charters Towers)

• The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland) will also continue to receive junior doctors from Cairns and Hinterland HHS that were previously received under a separate Commonwealth Government program