Professor Dawn DeWitt, Chair of the Rural Health Academic Centre-Melbourne Medical School reinforced the need - voiced by the Rural Doctors Association of Australia this week - to improve rural access to health care.

“The health professional shortage in rural areas means that patients can’t access urgently needed care such as timely treatment for heart attacks, and they can’t be admitted to ICUs at times due to nursing shortages,” she say.

“Patients also may have to drive hours for radiation therapy for cancer—some may have to drive every day for weeks for this standard treatment, which takes them away from families and jobs.”

 “The issue is complex and involves upgrading regional and rural transport as well as access to doctors, mental health specialists, nurses, etc.”

Professor Dawn DeWitt Talbot,
Professor of Rural Medical Education,
Head of School/Clinical Dean,
School of Rural Health,
University of Melbourne