MEDIA RELEASE

The Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN) today congratulated the Hon Mark Butler MP, the Hon Sam Rae MP, the Hon Emma McBride MP and the Hon Rebecca White MP on their appointment to the health portfolio.

ARHEN Chair, Associate Professor Leanne Brown, welcomed the re-appointment of Emma McBride as the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health.

“ARHEN’s member organisations, the University Departments of Rural Health, are on the ground in rural and remote Australia delivering high quality health training and research that is tailored to the needs of nursing and allied health students and the rural and remote communities we serve” Associate Professor Brown said.

“Each year, more than 15,000 nursing and allied health students undertake a rural or remote training placement as part of their studies”.

“ARHEN looks forward to continuing to work with Minister McBride on developing a fit-for-purpose rural and remote health training system that meets the needs of nursing and allied health students as well as our health, disability, aged care and mental health service delivery partners”.

“ARHEN welcomes the Government’s commitment to reviewing the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program and looks forward to positive and constructive dialogue with the Government this year on the opportunities and challenges in rural and remote health training”.

“ARHEN supports the Government’s commitment to growing the multidisciplinary health workforce and supporting health professionals from all health disciplines to work to their full scope of practice”.

“ARHEN acknowledges the integration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme into the Health portfolio and the opportunity this provides to develop a coordinated approach to rural and remote training and workforce issues across the health and disability care sectors” Associate Professor Brown said.

Background

ARHEN is the national association and peak body for the 19 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 nursing and allied health students, support the local rural and remote health workforce and undertake research on rural and remote health priorities.

Media contact: Joanne Hutchinson, ARHEN CEO, 0404 822 421.