12O3Phs

ural health workforce
MAKING
HEALTHCARE
ACCESSIBLE
RURAL HEALTH WORKFORCE AUSTRALIA
ANNUAL REPORT 2014

OUR
ACHIEVEMENTS
CROSSING
THE DIVIDE
When we think about health in Australia,
the concept of a ‘divide’ is very real.
If you live in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, you can
imagine it as a physical divide where the areas of
greatest need lie west of the Great Dividing Range.
A person in North Sydney, for example, can expect to
live 9.5 years longer on average than someone from
Central Queensland.
Why? In the many answers to that question, one that
concerns us most at Rural Health Workforce Australia
(RHWA) is access to healthcare.
Across Australia in 2013-14, RHWA and the
Rural Workforce Agency Network have…
5,000
2,000
1,780
600
Supported 5,000 rural
health professionals
and 1,500 practices
Helped 2,000
rural doctor
families
Assisted 1,780 doctors
with professional
development
Met 600 requests
for locum relief
We lead a Network of not-for-profit Rural Workforce
Agencies that is dedicated to closing the divide between
urban and non-urban Australia through the provision of
a skilled, well-supported health workforce.
The scattering of dots in our map represents not only the
diversity of rural communities but also the gaps in health
workforce that require attention throughout Australia.
Maps of course have other meanings: they interpret
the landscape and show the way. So the map also
symbolises how our Network acts as a guide for the
students and health professionals who are needed to
cross the divide.
Catherine Jurd (right) has crossed the divide. A former
leader of RHWA’s National Rural Health Students’
Network, she is now a registered nurse in Cloncurry,
Queensland. Her story is featured in a new book,
Nurses of the Outback.
Picture courtesy: Louise M Cooper
590
300
258
68
7
Recruited 590 doctors,
nurses and allied health
professionals
Enabled 300 Rural Health Club
members to visit 117 rural high
schools to promote health careers
Supported 258
doctors to obtain
Fellowship
Provided rural
relocation grants
to 68 dentists
Hosted 7 Go Rural events
for 143 students and
early career doctors
RHWA is the peak body for the Network of Rural Workforce Agencies (RWAs)
which service each State and the Northern Territory. Our network attracts,
recruits and supports health professionals needed to work in rural and
remote communities. RHWA is funded by the Australian Government’s
Department of Health, to whom we provide policy and program advice.
RHWA is also committed to the future workforce through our support of the
National Rural Health Students’ Network and its 9,000 members who belong
to 28 university Rural Health Clubs.
02 03

CHAIR’S
MESSAGE
Rural Workforce Agencies have
stood the test of time – they are
organisations that have earned
their place in the rural health
landscape
CEO’S
REPORT
Our Network has a mature
understanding of the various
elements that go into building
a sustainable, skilled rural
health workforce
No matter where Australians live, they
deserve good health. That’s why our not-forprofit
Network is committed to providing a
skilled workforce that meets the health needs
of rural and remote communities.
This is easier said than done, yet we have
a proven record of achievement. Hundreds
of communities around Australia have the
services of doctors, dentists, nurses and allied
health professionals thanks to the ongoing
efforts of RHWA and the Rural Workforce
Agencies (RWAs) which we represent.
Last year one of our foundation members,
the New South Wales Rural Doctors Network,
celebrated its 25 th anniversary. And this
year Rural Health West passed the same
milestone in Western Australia.
These occasions are significant because they
show that RWAs have stood the test of time –
they are organisations that have earned their
place in the rural health landscape.
Our Network has developed a multi-layered
approach that goes beyond recruitment,
relying on a variety of retention strategies
to keep health professionals where they
are needed.
This is critical because workforce underpins
so much in rural and remote health including
the sustainability of small towns and
communities, as well as the prevention and
treatment of chronic disease.
Our vital work continues against a
background of major change in the
Australian health sector, with the Federal
Government clearly committed to delivering
more resources to frontline health services
as it grapples with the twin forces of rising
healthcare costs and an ageing population.
As always, RHWA stands ready to assist
Government with evidence-based policy
advice on rural workforce matters and
practical solutions.
Likewise, we have an interest in working with
all parties on improvements to the workforce
training pipeline. This is important so as to
ensure that rural Australia gets access to its
fair share of young health professionals as
they emerge from universities and the early
career training system.
RWAs, with their strong local knowledge and
stakeholder relationships, are well-placed to
guide new health professionals into fulfilling
rural careers. In addition, RHWA keeps policy
makers abreast of the views of the future
workforce through its connection with the
National Rural Health Students’ Network and
its university Rural Health Clubs.
The students inspire us with their passion
for rural health and we share their
determination to improve the wellbeing of
the people of rural and remote Australia.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the
significant contributions of our recently
retired Board members Karen Emmott
and Dr Ameeta Patel. At the same time,
we welcome their replacements Diane
Walsh and Dr Ross Maxwell.
I would also like to thank our previous
CEO Greg Sam for his hard work and
commitment. We wish him well in his new
role at the Royal Flying Doctor Service, South
Eastern Section. Our new CEO, Greg Mundy,
has a distinguished record in health care
organisations and we are delighted to
welcome him to RHWA.
So to my fellow Board members and to
all the team at RHWA, this has been a
year that we can justly celebrate. But we
won’t be resting on our laurels. We look
ahead knowing that much more needs to be
done to cross the divide.
Ian Taylor
Chair, RHWA
Our challenge at RHWA is to continue to play
a constructive role in the creation of better
health outcomes for people living in rural
and remote Australia. Together with the Rural
Workforce Agencies we represent, we are
committed to advocating for and providing
critical elements of the rural health workforce
which delivers health services to nearly 7
million Australians or over 30 per cent of the
population.
Our Network has certainly lived up to this
promise in 2013-14. As a result of the
Australian Government programs we run,
there are now 590 more doctors, nurses
and allied health professionals working
in rural communities. We have also given
professional and family support to thousands
of existing rural health professionals so they
can continue to provide the best of care to
country people.
At a national level, RHWA has been
active in the policy sphere with advice to
Government on a range of issues including
the future workforce, overseas-trained health
professionals and areas of need. Looking to
the future, we have embarked on a research
project with the University of Queensland to
understand what factors medical students
and junior doctors take into account when
deciding where to practise.
Reflecting on the solid achievements of the
past year, it is clear that our Network has
a mature understanding of the various
elements that go into building a sustainable,
skilled rural health workforce.
We have a focus on supporting, not just
making, placements of health professionals
into rural and remote settings; we know
that a range of professional, personal and
business factors need to be addressed in
this process; and we recognise that different
communities have different needs – that one
size does not fit all.
Building on these strengths, we are ready to
apply our workforce expertise to new models
of care and service delivery in rural and
remote communities.
This year marked our entry into a new
sphere, dentistry. On behalf of the Australian
Government, we manage the Dental
Relocation and Infrastructure Support
Scheme (DRISS), a grants program aimed at
encouraging dentists to move to more rural
and remote locations. We are pleased to
report that, in its first year, grants have been
made to 68 dentists moving to locations
across rural and remote Australia.
While financial incentives are one way of
attracting health professionals to take up
rural and remote practice, the merits of
rural living and rural work run deeper than
this which is why our Go Rural program
focusses on the attractions of rural work
and rural living. Our work with the National
Rural Health Students’ Network and the 28
university Rural Health Clubs reinforces these
attractions in the early stages of professional
career engagement. Meanwhile, the
evidence is growing in support of the
importance of rural origins, rural training and
early career rural experience in building a
locally-sourced health workforce.
Of course we are far from being the only
stakeholders in this enterprise and working
with others is an important part of our
approach. We collaborate with the Australian
Government’s Department of Health, the
professional colleges, the education and
training sector, rural practices and other
organisations who share our commitment to
rural and remote health.
As a peak body with a major obligation to
the people of rural and remote Australia,
RHWA will need to keep its eyes open to
new opportunities and be ready to adapt
to the changing health sector environment.
That’s just the sort of challenge I was looking
forward to when I walked in through RHWA’s
door in the first week of May. I would like
to thank the RHWA Board, my staff and
my Rural Workforce Agency colleagues
for welcoming me in and I look forward to
working with you to shape the future.
Greg Mundy
CEO, RHWA
Our Network
RHWA (peak body)
www.rhwa.org.au
03 9860 4700
NSW Rural Doctors Network
www.nswrdn.com.au
02 4924 8000
RWAV (Victoria)
www.rwav.com.au
03 9349 7800
Health Workforce Queensland
www.healthworkforce.com.au
07 3105 7800
Rural Health West (Western Australia)
www.ruralhealthwest.com.au
08 6389 4500
RDWA (South Australia)
www.ruraldoc.com.au
08 8234 8277
Health Recruitment
PLUS Tasmania
www.healthrecruitmentplus.com.au
03 6334 2355
Northern Territory Medicare Local
www.ntml.org.au
08 8982 1000
IMAGE RIGHT: Our Network collaborates with a
variety of stakeholders…Marelda Tucker, Chair of the
Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia, with
Caitlin Bradley from Rural Health West’s Outreach in
the Outback program.
04
05

OUR
BOARD
RHWA has an independent Chair and seven Directors who are appointed by our members. As the Board
of RHWA, they are responsible for ensuring that the organisation is well-managed in line with its vision and
mission and that it abides by its objectives.
The Board oversees and monitors RHWA’s performance in relation to strategic objectives, financial efficiency
and risk management. Our over-arching strategic goal is to make primary healthcare accessible for rural
and remote Australians through the provision of a skilled, well-supported health workforce.
Directors who retired
at the end of 2013-14
• Karen Emmott (QLD)
• Dr Ameeta Patel (NT)
OUR
APPROACH
ATTRACTION
• Promote work, training and lifestyle opportunities for students
and health professionals in rural and remote Australia
• Manage incentive packages to attract and retain
health professionals
RECRUITMENT
• Recruit domestic and international health professionals
and match them to communities in need
Ian Taylor
(Chair)
Ian has been Chair of Rural Health Workforce
Australia since July 2013. He joined RHWA
from Rural Health West, where he was
Chair of the state Rural Workforce Agency
for Western Australia. A former WA Health
Minister, Ian has extensive experience with
rural and remote health policy. Earlier in his
career, Ian worked for the state public service,
principally as an economist in Treasury, before
entering state politics as the Member for
Kalgoorlie, a seat he held from 1981 to 1996.
Bill Hamill
South Australia
Bill is Deputy Chair of RHWA and chairs the
Audit and Risk Committee. He has lived and
worked in rural and remote Australia for
most of his life. A Fellow of the Australian
Institute of Company Directors, Bill has
previously managed national corporate and
not-for-profit organisations. He is a Board
member of South Australia’s Rural Workforce
Agency, RDWA.
Karen Brown
Western Australia
Karen has a background in government
relations, communications and media. She
spent 16 years as a journalist at The West
Australian newspaper where she became
Chief of Staff and then Deputy Editor. Karen
also served as the Western Australian Editor of
The Australian newspaper and worked with
commercial clients as Principal Consultant at
Halden Burns. She is a Board member of the
Rural Workforce Agency in Western Australia,
Rural Health West.
Anthony Graham
Victoria
Anthony lives in Birregurra, Victoria. He
is Community Services Manager at RMIT
University and has more than 20 years’
experience in the health and community
services sector in governance and senior
management roles. Anthony is Chair of
the Victorian Healthcare Association and
a Director of Colac Area Health Service. He
chairs the RHWA Governance Committee
and is a Board member of Victoria’s Rural
Workforce Agency, RWAV.
• Navigate health professionals through recruitment,
placement and registration
• Orientate health professionals to communities and
support their settlement
RETENTION
• Provide health professionals and their families
with support to keep them in rural and remote Australia
• Coordinate locum relief for rural doctors
• Provide health professionals with tailored support packages
EDUCATION
• Help health professionals to access
professional development and training
PRACTICE SUPPORT
• Assist practices with recruitment, business support
and workforce planning
• Intervene where requested when services are in crisis
INFORM
• Research and evaluate workforce systems, programs
and practices
Dr Ross Maxwell
Queensland
Ross is a GP in the Queensland town of
Dalby where he also practises anaesthetics
and obstetrics at the local hospital. He is
a former President of the Rural Doctors
Association of Australia and a former Board
member of the National Prescribing Service.
Ross is a Board member of Health Workforce
Queensland, representing the Rural Doctors
Association of Queensland.
Dr Rick Newton
New South Wales
Rick has been a GP for 14 years in Tullamore,
a town of 300 people in central west New
South Wales. He is a Board member of
the Western NSW Medicare Local and a
supervisor for the Remote Vocational Training
Scheme. Rick joined the Board of RHWA in
May 2008 and is a member of the Audit and
Risk Committee. In 2013, he was appointed
Chair of the New South Wales Rural Doctors
Network, the Rural Workforce Agency for NSW.
Diane Walsh
Northern Territory
Diane is Deputy Chair of the Northern
Territory Medicare Local and Deputy Chair of
the Top End Health Service Board. She has
been a consumer member of the Australian
Medical Council and the Therapeutic Goods
Committee, and is currently a community
member of the Northern Territory Board of the
Medical Board of Australia. Diane chairs the
NPS-Better Choices, Better Health Consumer
Advisory Group and belongs to the Medicare
Australia Stakeholder Consultative Group.
Dr Jim Wilson
Tasmania
Jim is a GP in Burnie, Tasmania, working in
private practice. He previously served as
a GP in Scottsdale and Launceston where
he also worked at the local Aboriginal
Health Service. Before moving to Tasmania
he was the Head of Medical Services, US
Naval Hospital Guam. Jim joined the RHWA
Board in 2006 and is a Board member of
Tasmania’s Rural Workforce Agency, Health
Recruitment PLUS.
• Collect data and report on national rural and remote
primary care workforce
• Provide policy and program advice to Government
on workforce issues
• Advocate for rural health services
COMMUNITY
• Help communities to keep or build local health services
• Support relief efforts where health services have been
disrupted by natural disaster such as floods and bushfires
• Collaborate with local service providers and health agencies,
particularly in relation to workforce planning
06 07

Journeys begin in many ways. In the case of a rural health
career, it can commence at high school with an inspiring
speaker or it might start at university by joining a Rural
Health Club. Then there are the personal journeys from
city to country and from overseas to a new land.
ATTRACTION
Our Network is experienced at helping
people – whatever their stage in life – to
make the move to rich and fulfilling work
in rural communities.
The first step is to attract the right people.
Research shows that country students are
more likely to return to rural areas once
they graduate. This is why RHWA, through
the National Rural Health Students’ Network
(NRHSN), runs an outreach program to
country schools across Australia.
The purpose of these rural high school
visits is to open the hearts and minds of
secondary students to the possibilities of
one day becoming a doctor, nurse, dentist,
physiotherapist or other health professional.
The visits are conducted by volunteer health
students from the 28 multi-disciplinary
university rural health clubs that comprise
the NRHSN. Club members engage the
younger students with a variety of hands-on
health activities such as plastering and use
of stethoscopes. Then the conversation turns
to careers, university life and opportunities.
Rural Health Clubs visited 117 rural high
schools in 2013-14, engaging with more
than 5,300 secondary students. Just over
300 Rural Health Club members volunteered
to take part in these visits.
The visits themselves are a way of connecting
NRHSN members to country through positive
rural experiences. These events, and other
club activities such as rural appreciation
weekends, are forging a shared commitment
among the future workforce that is translating
into rural careers with the guidance of Rural
Workforce Agencies (see case study from the
Northern Territory).
The NRHSN has the added advantage
of being the only representative student
organisation in Australia whose membership
is open to medical, nursing, dental and
allied health students. This multi-disciplinary
focus fosters teamwork, inter-disciplinary
understanding and learning between the
NRHSN’s 9,000 members.
The passion and energy of the student
network was on display in Canberra in
August 2013 when RHWA hosted the
NextGen Conference for 120 Rural Health
Club leaders. The event featured a range
of speakers who encouraged delegates
to embrace community leadership.
An important aspect of the conference was
the opportunity for students to engage with
leading sector stakeholders and supporters
including the National Rural Health Alliance,
the Australian College of Rural and Remote
Medicine, the National Rural Faculty of
the Royal Australian College of General
Practitioners, Services for Australian Rural
and Remote Allied Health and CRANAplus.
The national Go Rural campaign is another
way that RHWA and Rural Workforce Agencies
attract potential candidates to rural practice.
This year events were held in each state
and the Northern Territory, attended by 143
medical students and early career doctors.
The campaign highlights the professional
and lifestyle rewards of rural medicine,
complemented by a media relations and
online advertising campaign reinforced
through our growing social media following
(see panel). Events range from rural skills
days to rural immersion weekends with
training provided by experienced rural
health professionals.
RHWA
& NRHSN
online presence
2013-14
Website
visits a month
31,000
Twitter
followers
5,000
Likes
on Facebook
4,000
Connecting to NT careers
The Northern Territory Medicare Local has
successfully used rural high school visits
to help the NT grow its health workforce.
Each year university Rural Health Club members from across
Australia are encouraged to apply for NTML’s popular high school
visits to the Top End and Central Australia.
Selected candidates spend a week engaging with and mentoring
local school students. In the process, they get to visit community
health centres, remote hospitals and go on clinical ‘speed dates’
with local health professionals who provide an understanding
of the rewards of working in the Territory.
Dr Sam Goodwin and Alice Corbyn (pictured) are two examples
of young professionals who have been influenced by these visits
to go on and take up the challenge of Territory health.
Dr Goodwin was a student when he took part in a NT rural high
school visit in 2006. After graduating, he returned to the Territory
and has since become Director of Medical Services at Tennant
Creek Hospital.
RHWA has also focused its attraction
activities on dentists with a multi-channel
promotional campaign to inform them about
grants available under the new rural Dental
Relocation and Infrastructure and Support
Scheme (DRISS) which is administered by
RHWA on behalf of the Department of Health.
DRISS has been promoted through social
media, print advertising and editorial in
national and industry publications. RHWA
also had a trade booth at the ADX14 dental
exhibition in Sydney and the Victorian Dental
Show in Melbourne.
In addition to DRISS and Go Rural, RHWA
supports joint Network marketing activities
targeted at Australian-trained and overseastrained
health professionals.
Sometimes, however, the start
of a rural health journey is as
simple as a phone call or email
followed by some friendly advice
In 2013-14, RHWA coordinated shared
Network booths at the GPCE14 conference
in Sydney and the National Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health Organisation’s
Healthy Futures Summit in Melbourne.
Alice was so inspired by her experiences during the 2013
high school visit to Central Australia – including contact with
Dr Goodwin and other health professionals – that she has enrolled
with the Graduate Nursing Program at Alice Springs Hospital. She
says the fact that she had taken part in the high school visit was a
significant contributor to her selection in the local nursing program.
MAIN IMAGE: Barunga High School students brush up under the supervision
of University of Adelaide dentistry student Julia Bradshaw during a rural
high school visit organised by the Northern Territory Medicare Local.
Pictures courtesy: Diana Carli-Seebohm, NTML
These activities supplement specific
candidate marketing by Rural Workforce
Agencies, including direct advertising as
well as attendance at international and local
recruiting fairs.
Sometimes, however, the start of a rural
health journey is as simple as a phone call
or email followed by some friendly advice.
Throughout the year, our Network handled
more than 10,000 inquiries from health
professionals – many of them taking that first
step towards a new career and new life.
08
09

The holistic support and incentives given
to overseas doctors is also informing
our approach to the Australian-trained
workforce and new models of care that
meet community need (see case study
from South Australia).
RECRUITMENT
DRISS grants have been awarded
to 68 dentists. This represents a
substantial increase in private
dental services
Helping health professionals navigate their way
into rural practice is something that our Network
prides itself on.
Meanwhile, RHWA is administering a new
Commonwealth incentive scheme to attract
dentists to regional, rural and remote areas.
The Dental Relocation and Infrastructure
Support Scheme (DRISS) provides scaled
relocation and infrastructure grants to
encourage more private dentists to go rural.
When Dr Elaheh Farzanfar started work at
Maranoa Medical Centre in Roma in June
2014, it was the culmination of a year’s effort
by the recruitment team at Health Workforce
Queensland.
After handling the initial inquiry from
Dr Farzanfar, a formal assessment was
made of her suitability for rural work followed
by a search for a community where she
would be well matched.
Next came the paperwork, including
professional registration and migration
details. Finally, an introduction to the
Australian health system was arranged that
covered Medicare billing, the role of private
General Practitioners and much more.
When Dr Farzanfar and her husband were
ready to make the move, she was assisted
with relocation and orientation to her new
home in Roma, a community of 7,000 people
479km inland from Brisbane, where she
continues to receive support from Health
Workforce Queensland.
This is just one example of hundreds this
year where Rural Workforce Agencies have
successfully managed the often complex
placement of health professionals into rural
areas. Throughout the year, our Network
has recruited more than 590 doctors, nurses
and allied health professionals for rural
communities.
The guidance of overseas-trained doctors
is a precise craft, given the many human
factors involved along with the exacting
restrictions on their freedom to practice in
Australia. Yet our Network is committed to
helping overseas doctors and their families
start a new life in communities where they
are sorely needed.
One of the programs that has been
particularly successful in delivering doctors
to communities in need is the Five Year
Overseas Trained Doctors Scheme. In 2013-
14, there were 82 new doctors enrolled on
the 5 Year Scheme – an increase of 58 per
cent on the previous year.
The scheme provides a reduction in the
10 year moratorium on provider number
restrictions for overseas doctors if they elect
to work in areas that have had difficulties
recruiting and retaining doctors.
In return, the moratorium period is reduced
to 5, 4 or 3 years depending on the
location involved.
The doctors must also commit to attain
Fellowship of either the Royal Australian
College of General Practitioners or the
Australian College of Rural and Remote
Medicine. Fellowship recognises excellence
in general practice and is a sign that rural
people are receiving quality care.
MORE DENTISTS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES
The following places have been the beneficiaries of dentists
relocating with assistance from our DRISS program.
WA
Esperance, Geraldton, Gingin, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kojonup, Merredin
NT
Casuarina, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek
QLD
Agnes Water, Belgian Gardens, Chinchilla,
Emerald, Goondiwindi, Mount Isa, Woodford
NSW
Alstonville, Bega, Bulahdelah, Cobar, Coonamble, Cowra,
Forbes, Griffith, Gunnedah, Hay, Kempsey, Lithgow, Macksville,
Mittagong, Moree, Muswellbrook, Tamworth, Port Macquarie,
Tenterfield, Tura Beach
SA
Berri, Burra, Booleroo, Goolwa, Kingscote, Kingston, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier
VIC
Ballarat, Bendigo, Drouin, Echuca, Kyneton, Moe, St Arnaud, Warracknabeal
TAS
Deloraine, Flinders Island, Cape Barren Island, Shearwater
Eligible dentists can apply for relocation
grants up to $120,000, and relocation and
infrastructure grants up to $370,000 to help
pay for equipment and fit-out of dental
facilities.
In its inaugural year, DRISS grants have been
awarded to 68 dentists. This represents
a substantial increase in private dental
services per year for rural communities.
The DRISS Steering Committee includes
representatives from the Department of
Health, the Australian Dental Association,
the Australasian Council of Dental Schools,
the National Rural Health Alliance and
Services for Australian Rural and Remote
Allied Health.
Kicking goals on the Eyre Peninsula
Earlier this year, the South Australian remote Eyre
Peninsula communities of Kimba, Elliston and Cleve
welcomed three new GPs who started working in a new
model of medical service delivery.
The three GPs work as a team serving the three communities, giving people
choices and certainty. This innovative workforce solution was developed by
RDWA, the state’s Rural Workforce Agency. It has attracted recent Australian
graduates and addresses the issues of distance and sustainability.
Under the model, Dr Gerry Considine, his fiancée Dr Mel Clothier and Dr Gail
Hitch are embracing community life and care. Dr Considine has joined one
of the local football teams which led to this recent post on his twitter account:
“Treated a fracture on the field while playing and kicked a goal in b grade footy.
Love this job #gorural”
At another game, one of the players dislocated his shoulder. “I tried to relocate it
without luck as he was too muscular across the shoulders,” recalls Dr Considine.
“So he came back to the hospital where Mel took the x-ray and sedated him while
I pulled the shoulder back into place. Fiancée team work!”
IMAGE: Dr Gerry Considine, wearing the colours of Cleve’s Eastern Ranges Football Club, is
pictured with his biggest fan, Dr Mel Clothier. Picture: Megan DuBois Photography
10 11

RETENTION
Building a sustainable rural health workforce
is more than simply filling vacancies.
Finding a doctor or nurse who is suitable
for a rural community is only one part of
the solution. The key is making sure they
are happy to stay. This minimises turnover,
avoids repeated recruiting costs and above
all ensures continuity of patient care.
Over time and countless thousands of
interactions with health professionals,
our Network has developed the insights
and soft skills required to help people carve
out rewarding careers in the country.
Recognising that each individual is different,
we tailor our approach to their particular
situation. In some cases, this may entail
family support as people settle into a new
community or look to connect with families
of fellow health professionals (see case
study from New South Wales, right).
The family
network has 900
members attracted
by the opportunity
to make new friends
and rediscover
old ones
Putting some
Sparkle into life
Sparkle the Clown is a favourite
part of the NSW Rural Doctors
Network’s family-friendly
conferences.
She entertains the children while the Mums
and Dads get to enjoy the conference social
events, mixing with other delegates from all
over New South Wales.
Children’s activities are just one of the
services provided by the NSW Rural Medical
Family Network, funded by the Department
of Health via NSWRDN and linked in closely
to the NSW Rural Doctors Association.
Run as a not-for-profit organisation in its
own right, the family network has 900
members attracted by the opportunity to
make new friends and rediscover old ones.
The network also offers spouse retraining
and education grants, seasonal newsletters
and crisis assistance.
Kaylee does the locum-motion
Kaylee Nash-Rawnsley (pictured with her family) is a
GP registrar at St Marys, a small town on the east coast
of Tasmania.
She did her first registrar term at nearby Swansea before going on maternity leave.
Keen to do some occasional part-time work, she undertook a number of short-term
locum placements in local communities with the assistance of Health Recruitment
PLUS. The workforce agency arranged a provider number for Dr Nash-Rawnsley
through the Rural Locum Relief Program.
This locum support enabled the permanent GPs to have some weekend breaks away
from their practices and after-hours responsibilities while in turn giving Dr Nash-
Rawnsley valuable experience working in different communities and providing after-
hours care at local hospitals. She has since returned to her registrar training and is
doing her final placement at St Marys. She still helps out with the occasional shortterm
locum stint at St Helens.
Our Network has developed
the insights and soft skills
required to help people
carve out rewarding careers
in the country
For others, it might be the assurance that
locum cover can be arranged if they need
to take a break. In 2013-14, our Network
organised locum relief for hundreds of rural
doctors who needed time off for holidays,
to attend their children’s weddings or to
pursue their professional development at
courses and conferences.
Ongoing support can also mean regular
post-placement contact with people
and practices, either over the phone or
face-to-face.
On one trip last year, the nursing and
allied health team from the NSW Rural
Doctors Network travelled 6,000km in
three months visiting 70 nurses and allied
health workers in places like Bourke and
Lightning Ridge. These visits also enable
NSWRDN to forge stronger partnerships
with employers and Local Health Districts,
improving understanding of localised issues
and particular areas of workforce shortage.
While money isn’t everything, it does
help and is a sign that rural work is
valued and to that end RWA’s administer
Commonwealth retention and relocation
payments to rural doctors.
Recognition is another important element
of workforce retention. Our Network hosts
a number of events each year that honour
the achievements and service provided by
rural health professionals as well as the
valuable supporting role played by partners
and families.
The Victorian Rural Health Awards, run by
RWAV, are one such occasion. In 2013, 35
doctors, nurses, allied health professionals,
practice managers and Aboriginal health
workers were recognised for more than 750
years of combined service to regional and
rural communities in Victoria.
And when the going gets tough, Rural
Workforce Agencies are on hand with
crisis support for rural health professionals
affected by stress or illness. In South
Australia, for example, RDWA runs the
acclaimed Dr DOC (Duty of Care) program
dedicated to supporting the health and
wellbeing of rural doctors. Dr DOC offers a
range of services from prevention through to
confidential crisis care.
12 13

Having the skills to practice confidently is one of the foundations
of a successful career in rural health. As one long-standing rural
doctor tells it: “The more extensive your expertise, the more you
will enjoy country medicine.”
Well-run medical practices lead to happy teams, less
turnover in health professionals and mean communities
continue to receive the medical care they need, without
disruption to service.
Hands-on
learning in the
great outdoors
Karijini National Park was the
setting for Rural Health West’s
annual rural and remote
retrieval conference, held
in May 2014.
The three-day conference provided 25
doctors with the opportunity to practice
emergency wilderness medicine under
the guidance of experienced emergency
physicians and General Practitioners.
Delegates were faced with a number of
simulated scenarios including a multitrauma
scene at Joffre Gorge (pictured).
Rural Health West conducts a
variety of professional development
workshops and events throughout the
year, tailored to the unique environment
of Western Australia.
Picture courtesy: Dr Tony Tropiano
EDUCATION
For rural communities, it is crucial to have
access to appropriately skilled health
professionals. This need is more pronounced
in remote areas where the burden of
chronic disease and injury are magnified
by isolation.
In order to create a workforce that delivers
the best of care to rural and remote people,
our Network devotes significant time and
resources to ensuring health professionals
are suitably trained or “rural ready”.
One of the ways we do this is through
supporting the doctors we recruit to
achieve Fellowship of either the Royal
Australian College of General Practitioners
or the Australian College of Rural and
Remote Medicine.
Over the past year, 80 doctors enrolled
on national programs administered
by our Network achieved Fellowship.
In addition, we allocated exam-support
packages to 258 doctors who are working
towards Fellowship.
Rural Workforce Agencies also assist
health workers with access to professional
development and training needed to update
their skills. This is done in collaboration
with a variety of stakeholders including the
medical colleges, regional training providers
and professional associations.
The agencies themselves run events,
conferences and workshops for rural
health professionals on specific topics
such as Indigenous cultural awareness
and emergency medicine (see case
study from Western Australia). Last
year our Network helped more than
1,780 health workers with professional
development services.
RHWA supports the future workforce with
professional development through the
National Rural Health Students’ Network. In
2013-14, the NRHSN funded 82 Rural Health
Club members to attend national conferences
such as Rural Medicine Australia, with 20 of
the students presenting at the conferences
they attended.
Health service
maintained
Dr Siobhan Reddel is one of
three regular locums organised
by RWAV, Victoria’s Rural
Workforce Agency, to provide
ongoing medical services at
the Budja Budja Aboriginal
Cooperative in Halls Gap.
Budja’s health services are available to all
local residents, both Indigenous and non-
Indigenous, as well as to the thousands
of tourists who visit Gariwerd (Grampians)
National Park each year.
Dr Reddel (right) is pictured with Budja
Budja Aboriginal Cooperative founder Tim
Chatfield, senior practice nurse Gaylene
Peoples and clinical coordinator Alison
Chatfield. Mr Chatfield says the community
has a variety of chronic health issues and
his clinic is at times stretched by the needs of
visiting tourists. “Funding appropriate care is
our main issue,” he says.
PRACTICE
SUPPORT
In 2013-14, our Network supported more
than 1,500 rural practices throughout
Australia with a variety of services
including workforce planning, recruitment
and business management training.
Tasmania’s Rural Workforce Agency, Health
Recruitment PLUS, has had a strong focus
on practice support since 2007. As a result
of the development and implementation of
the practice support area, HR+ has seen
a significant increase in retention rates of
General Practitioners moving from 45 per cent
retained after three years in 2007 to 90 per
cent retained after three years in 2014.
Our Network pays particular attention to
the needs of Aboriginal community health
services, along with cultural awareness
training for health professionals recruited
to work there. For example, the NSW
Rural Doctors Network has developed
an administration manual for Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health Services
in rural NSW, in collaboration with the
Aboriginal Health and Medical Research
Council of NSW.
Practice support also extends to provision
of clinical workforce in areas where health
services are vulnerable or under pressure
(see case study from Victoria).
Budja’s health
services are available to
all local residents, as well
as thousands of tourists
who visit Gariwerd
(Grampians) National
Park each year
14 15

INFORM
As a Network, we learn by doing. We then analyse and
distil what we have learnt into policy advice that informs the
Department of Health and political decision makers.
23%
Our commitment to inform includes the
annual collection of data on the rural GP
workforce, a task undertaken in each state
and the Northern Territory by the Rural
Workforce Agencies. This snapshot is
developed by RHWA into a clear national
picture that in 2013 showed the following
trends:
• The number of GPs practising in regional,
rural and remote Australia has grown
by 23 per cent since 2010 – pointing
to the success of Government policy
interventions, although distribution
remains an issue
• Counter-balancing this upward trend is the
fact that one in three rural GPs are moving
towards retirement over the next 5 to 10
years
• An increasing number of female GPs are
entering the regional, rural and remote
workforce, with the proportion rising from
35 to 39 per cent since 2010
• At the same time, overall working
hours are declining. In the absence
of decreased demand or increased
workforce productivity, greater numbers
of GPs will be required in future to provide
the same level of services.
Rural Australia will need to capitalise on the
Government’s commitment to growing the
Australian-trained medical workforce. An
extra 300 GP training places were funded in
the 2014 Budget, bringing the total number
of GP training places to 1,500 for 2015.
Pleasingly, at least 50 per cent of GP training
places have been mandated to occur in rural
and regional areas.
Understanding the career intentions
and motivators of these young medical
graduates is essential if rural training is to
translate into ongoing rural work.
That is why RHWA has partnered with the
University of Queensland in a study that
explores the decision-making process of
young people in the medical workforce
pipeline (see research case study).
Our evidence-based approach also informs
how we advocate on behalf of the rural
health workforce.
In 2013-14, we made submissions to the
Commonwealth’s review of Medicare Locals,
the Australian Medical Council’s stakeholder
consultation on the Pre-Employment
Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI) for
overseas-trained doctors, and the review by
the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency of the English language skills
registration standard. We also have been
part of the Department of Health’s working
group on Remoteness Classifications and
Districts of Workforce Shortage.
RHWA plays an active role in the sector
through our membership of organisations
such as the National Rural Health Alliance,
the National Advisory Committee of the
Australian College of Rural and Remote
Medicine’s John Flynn Placement Program,
and the National Advisory Group for the
Centre for Research Excellence in Medical
Workforce Dynamics (incorporating the
MABEL survey).
We offer further insight into the
views of the future workforce
through our management and
support of the National Rural
Health Students’ Network which
represents more than 9,000
medical, nursing and allied
health students
growth in rural GP
workforce
39%
proportion of female
GPs in rural workforce
41
mean hours worked
per week by rural GPs
We offer further insight into the views
Likes
of the future workforce through our
management and support of the National
Rural Health Students’ Network which
represents more than 9,000 medical,
nursing and allied health students with an
interest in rural health.
With guidance from RHWA, the NRHSN
participates in a number of national forums
where student advice is sought.
Study explores rural career decisions
What makes an Australian-trained student or junior doctor
from a major city want to go rural?
That is the key question that will be answered by a new research
project undertaken by Rural Health Workforce Australia in
partnership with the University of Queensland.
Twenty one urban-based medical students and 45 urban-based
junior doctors will be the subject of the comprehensive, qualitative
study – results of which will be available later this year.
The study will examine the decision-making process of young
people in the medical workforce pipeline, looking at what factors
students and junior doctors take into account when deciding
where to practise.
Researchers will also explore the timing of such decisions and
who influences them.
This year, the NRHSN has been represented
on the RACGP National Rural Faculty Board
and Membership Advisory Committee, the
Advisory Committee to the Board of Services
for Rural and Remote Allied Health, the
Australian College of Rural and Remote
Medicine’s Bonded Support Program and
John Flynn Placement Program’s National
Advisory Committees, the CRANAplus
student and early career graduates subcommittee
to the Board, the Council of the
National Rural Health Alliance and the
Medical Schools Outcomes Database run
by the Medical Deans of Australia and New
Zealand.
The students also met with the Australian
Rural Health Education Network to develop
a resource guide on the various rural
placements offered through the University
Departments of Rural Health.
The study
will examine the
decision-making process
of young people in the
medical workforce
pipeline
The results will be used to inform strategies for engaging with
young people at various stages of the workforce pipeline –
whether they be a medical student, intern, prevocational doctor
or registrar.
Interviews and focus groups will be conducted in three capital
cities by the University of Queensland’s Institute for Social Science
Research. The institute was selected after an open tender
process conducted by RHWA.
The study builds upon insights gained through the Go
Rural careers campaign run by RHWA and the Rural
Workforce Agencies.
IMAGE: Medical students at a Go Rural event in Tasmania, hosted by Health
Recruitment PLUS.
At these and other forums, student leaders
advocated on behalf of their peers in relation
to the NRHSN’s 2013-14 priorities, which
were:
• Rural and remote training pathways
• Positive rural experiences for students
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Health
• Mental health training for all health
students
16 17

At RHWA, we believe it all starts and
finishes with community. This is where
our Network seeks to meet need in
relation to primary health care.
Taking a shine
to Emerald
COMMUNITY
We have a well-established tradition of supporting towns as they strive to build or
keep local health services. We do this in collaboration with community leaders, service
providers and other health agencies.
In 2013-14, Rural Workforce Agencies assisted 589 rural communities (see case
studies from Western Australia and Queensland).
At times, we play a role in relief efforts where health services have been disrupted
by natural disaster as was the case with RWAV in the aftermath of the 2009
Victorian bushfires.
We also encourage university health students to connect with rural communities
through participation in rural high school visits and Indigenous community festivals.
Over the past year, RHWA funded 121 members of the National Rural Health Students’
Network to attend 16 Indigenous community festivals where they spread the word on
healthy living and spoke about health careers. In return, the students encountered
people and places where their skills would be more than welcome one day.
Health Workforce Queensland has supported
the Central Highlands regional town of
Emerald in the Bowen Basin on several
occasions during 2013-2014 after it was
identified as having a significant shortage
of medical and allied health professionals
which was having a negative Impact on the
community.
Health Workforce Queensland worked with the
Bowen Basin Leadership Group to develop a
Regional Health Services Plan for the delivery
of sustainable, efficient and appropriate health
care services to the region.
The workforce agency then provided the
community of Emerald with five new GPs
during this period. It also provided case
management and financial support to a
Registered Nurse who was placed in a GP
practice in the previous year through the Rural
Health Professionals Program.
Health Workforce Queensland continues to
support several GPs in the community as
they work towards Fellowship, provide locum
assistance, access to medical education
opportunities, case management and family
support.
Sowing the seeds of change
in the WA wheatbelt
The Shire of Corrigin in Western Australia has
welcomed Dr Raj Ramakrishna to the town, with
the assistance of Rural Health West.
The workforce agency has been supporting Corrigin and other shires
involved in the Eastern Wheatbelt Primary Care Project (EWPCP) since
its inception in 2010.
The aim of EWPCP is to redesign general practice service delivery
to improve primary care services for the communities and lessen
the financial and administrative involvement of the Shires in
general practice.
OUR HIGH
FLYERS
Four university students from
country Victoria are the winners
of the 2014 Give Them Wings
scholarships, provided by Rural
Health Workforce Australia and
the Royal Flying Doctor Service
Victoria.
The scholarships, worth $2,500 each, are
designed to encourage the next generation
of nursing and allied health professionals
from rural communities.
The scholarship winners each receive a
Royal Flying Doctor experience as well as
cash payments to help them cover the
costs of first year university. RHWA CEO,
Greg Mundy, congratulated the scholarship
winners, saying they were fine role models
for other country students interested in health
careers. “We’re delighted to hear they all
intend to return to the country once they
graduate – because that’s where their skills
will be needed.” This is the third year that
RHWA and RFDS Victoria have partnered to
deliver Give Them Wings, which is open to
members of university Rural Health Clubs.
The scholarships are funded by the RFDS
Victoria Bayside Auxiliary.
1.
3.
2.
4.
1. Kurt Murphy, Welshmans Reef
(Physiotherapy, La Trobe University)
2. Rhiannan Frusher, Warrnambool
(Nursing, Deakin University)
3. Natalie Dowling, Yarrawonga
(Optometry, Deakin University)
4. Tasmin Lewis, Drouin East
(Occupational Therapy,
Monash University)
The project has led to the Wheatbelt General Practice Business Support
Service. This collectively funds a practice management service that
delivers aspects of clinical support, business support and management
to general practices in Corrigin, Lake Grace, Kondinin, Kulin and Narembeen.
This project has also received support through part-funding from the
South West WA Medicare Local and funding through the WA Country
Health Service for a comprehensive project evaluation.
IMAGE: Dr Ramakrishna at the Corrigin Medical Centre.
Picture courtesy: Julie Holloway, Rural Health West
“Not long ago, when I was a
student in college, just flying an
airplane seemed a dream. But
that dream turned into reality”
Charles A. Lindbergh
Kurt Murphy during his Give Them Wings experience with the Royal Flying Doctor Service
Victoria. Picture courtesy: Scott McNaughton, The Weekly Review
18 19

DIRECTORS’
DECLARATION
For the year ended 30 June 2014
The directors of the entity declare that:
1. The financial statements are in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001
a. comply with Australian Accounting Standards - Reduced Disclosure Requirements and
b. give a true and fair view of the financial position as at 30 June 2014 and of the
performance for the year ended on that date of the entity
2. In the directors’ opinion there are reasonable grounds to believe that the entity will be able
to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable.
This declaration is made in accordance with a resolution of the board of Directors
Auditor’s Independence Declaration
under Section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001 to the directors of
Rural Health Workforce Australia Limited.
I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and believed during the year ended 30 Jone 2014 there
have been:
i. No contraventions of the auditor independence requirements as set out in the Corporations
Act 2001 in relation to the audit and
ii. No contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.
Moore Stephens
Chartered Accountants
Ian Taylor
Director
Dated this 22nd day of August 2014
William Hamill
Director
Scott Phillips
Partner
Melbourne, 22 August 2014
20 21

FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
Statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income
For Rural Health Workforce Australia Limited for the year ended 30 June 2014
Statement of financial position
As at 30 June 2014
2014 2013
$ $
Revenue from operating activities
Operating grants 14,897,763 7,874,293
Rollover 371,016 796,237
Interest 528,395 139,997
Other revenue 510,061 633,136
Funds returned to Department of Health (235,000) (59,675)
Total revenue 16,072,235 9,383,988
Expenses from operating activities
Accounting and audit fees 30,603 40,831
Administration expenses 585,329 1,070,462
Board of directors expenses 231,087 215,726
Depreciation expense 35,752 37,763
Employment benefit expenses 2,014,136 2,229,241
Marketing costs 425,419 390,397
Management fee 171,515 234,305
Staff travel and accommodation 122,540 171,336
DRISS – Program support costs 211,884 -
DRISS – Grant funding 7,456,601 -
NRHSN – Conference expenses 207,274 214,633
NRHSN – Club funding and annual meetings 506,543 553,438
OTD – Additional assistance 2,051,244 1,760,000
OTD – IRS recruitment expenses 1,873,000 1,870,000
RGPLP – Locum costs - 773,165
Total expenses 15,922,927 9,561,297
Profit/(Loss) before income tax 149,308 (177,309)
Income tax expense - -
Profit/(Loss) for the year 149,308 (177,309)
2014 2013
$ $
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 23,462,725 3,332,836
Trade and other receivables 330,974 161,231
Total current assets 23,793,699 3,494,067
Non - current assets
Property, plant and equipment 70,443 36,558
Total noncurrent assets 70,443 36,558
Total assets 23,864,142 3,530,625
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables 7,107,830 602,205
Other liabilities 15,597,119 1,809,409
Provisions 11,853 120,979
Total current liabilities 22,716,802 2,532,593
Non-current liabilities
Total non - current liabilities - -
Total liabilities 22,716,802 2,532,593
Net assets 1,147,340 998,032
Equity
Retained earnings 1,147,340 998,032
Total equity 1,147,340 998,032
Other comprehensive income
Other comprehensive income for the year - -
Total comprehensive income for the year - -
Profit attributable to members of the entity 149,308 (177,309)
Total comprehensive income attributable to members of the entity 149,308 (177,309)
22 23

Contact us
Rural Health Workforce Australia
Suite 2, Level 5, 10 Queens Road
Melbourne VIC 3004
P 03 9860 4700
F 03 9820 8383
E info@rhwa.org.au
ABN 60 094 976 682
www.rhwa.org.au