The Rural Doctors Association of South Australia has welcomed the creation of an independent panel to consult on rural health incentives and training.
The Federal Government has appointed three experts to look at ways to encourage doctors to work in rural and remote areas.
The association’s president, Scott Lewis, said the way incentives were calculated needed to be updated and the new panel was a step in the right direction.
“We have struggled in a number of rural areas for a number of years to attract and retain our GPs and I think it’s going to be very, very important to make sure that the incentives that are available and put in place are properly directed to encourage doctors to go to the place where they are most needed as opposed to the most comfortable,” he said.
“We are extremely heartened to see it’s gone just beyond the standard make an announcement, to actual practical implementation, so quickly.
“So it’s an extremely good thing to see.”