MEDIA RELEASE
ARHEN congratulates incoming health ministers
The Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN) today congratulated the Hon Mark Butler MP, the Hon Anika Wells MP, the Hon Emma McBride MP, the Hon Ged Kearney MP and Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy on their appointment to the health and aged care portfolio.
ARHEN Chair, Christine Howard, welcomed in particular the appointment of Emma McBride as the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health as well as for Mental Health.
“People living in rural and remote Australia experience unique health challenges and poorer health outcomes compared to people in urban areas” Mrs Howard said.
“ARHEN congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for ensuring there is a dedicated minister for rural health who can drive improvements for the seven million people living in rural and remote Australia.
For more than twenty years ARHEN’s members, the University Departments of Rural Health, have been on the ground in rural and remote Australia helping to grow and support the local nursing and allied health workforce.
We work closely with our local health, aged care, disability, mental health and Indigenous health services to train the next generation of rural and remote health workers as well as support the current workforce with professional development. We also undertake vital research to inform the design and delivery of services in rural and remote Australia.
Our health students work closely with our community partners to provide much needed services in areas such as nursing, psychology, pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry, speech pathology, social work, occupational therapy, dentistry and oral health.
ARHEN looks forward to working with Minister McBride and her ministerial colleagues to build on the success of the University Departments of Rural Health and deliver much needed nursing and allied health services into rural and remote communities” Mrs Howard said.
Background
ARHEN is the national association and peak body for the 17 University Departments of Rural Health based in rural and remote locations across Australia. ARHEN’s purpose is to improve rural and remote health outcomes by delivering high quality health education, research and advocacy.
The University Departments of Rural Health are funded by the Australian Government under the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program to provide training opportunities for health students, support the local rural and remote health workforce and undertake research on rural and remote health priorities.
The ARHEN Chair, Christine Howard, is available for interview.
Media contact: Joanne Hutchinson, ARHEN National Director, 0404 822 421
