SEVEN towns in Tasmania’s Lyons electorate are among 450 country towns nationally who will find it easier to attract doctors under an overhauled GP Rural Incentives Program, Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson said today.
Under changes announced by Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash, 450 country towns will receive an increased subsidy to attract and retain doctors.
Mr Hutchinson said the new system would mean that smaller rural communities like Beaconsfield, Beauty Point, Deloraine, Port Sorell, Sheffield, St Helens and Westbury would be able to more easily attract and keep GPs.
“The new system will deliver a fairer system for smaller towns, redirecting money to attract doctors to these towns that have genuine difficulty attracting and retaining doctors,’’ Mr Hutchinson said.
“I’m pleased that these seven towns in Lyons have qualified for the subsidies.’’
Other changes introduced by Senator Nash include:
• Doctors will be able to take leave from a rural practice for up to five years with no loss of incentive status on their return.
• Four existing programs have been streamlined into a single retention payment.
• Doctors will need to stay in a rural or regional area longer – two years instead of six months – before they receive the incentive.
The new incentive arrangements will start from July 1 this year.
Federal Lyons MHR Eric Hutchinson
