Addressing the Rural Health Funding Gap: UDRH SW In Canberra

Professor Beth Armstrong and Joanne Hutchinson, CEO of ARHEN outside Parliament House

University Department of Rural Health South West (UDRH SW) Director Professor Beth Armstrong was in Canberra in late August for a meeting of the National Rural Health Alliance to release- The Forgotten Health Spend: A Report on the Expenditure Deficit in Rural Australia. The launch of the report was hosted by the Honourable Emma McBride MP, at Parliament House at a function of the Parliamentary Friends of Rural and Regional Health.

The report revealed that Australians living outside metropolitan areas receive $8.35 billion less health funding than their urban counterparts and that the gap is growing. The deficit is driven by shortfalls in various areas including hospital care, primary care, private allied health services, nursing, maternity care, dentistry, aged care and NDIS services. The UDRH network (Australian Rural Health Education Network CEO Joanne Hutchinson pictured) is on the case nationally and UDRH SW is proudly working to increase the allied health, nursing and midwifery workforce in South West WA. Lots of work still to be done!

Ian Thompson, Principal, Nous Group presenting The Forgotten Health Spend Report at Parliament House