A re-elected Coalition government will boost existing health programs in rural and remote towns, injecting more than $1 billion to bring in more doctors and allied health professionals and improve treatments and care of patients.
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Incumbent Parkes MP, Mark Coulton of the Nationals, also said at the weekend their plans include Indigenous-focused health, education, safety and justice, and culture and heritage measures as part of the Coalition government's National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The Coalition will also commit to holding a referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution "once there is consensus [reached] on the way forward and at a time it has the best chance of success", Mr Coulton said.
The $1 billion health funding promised will include an additional $146 million in fresh allocations to encourage more doctors and health workers to work in regional and rural communities missing out on quality health services.
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"These investments are part of our 10-year Stronger rural health Strategy which is already delivering more doctors and nurses into rural communities and training the next generation of country doctors," Mr Coulton said.
The announcement comes on the back of recent damning findings from an 11-month-long NSW parliament inquiry on the crisis state of the rural and remote health system in the state outlining chronic staff shortages and under-resourced services compared to metropolitan centres.
The NSW parliament committee has recommended 44 measures to improve health services in NSW, including collaboration with their federal counterpart.
On Thursday, Mr Coulton campaigned in Broken Hill where he announced $14 million in funding to open the new Head to Health adult mental health centre, with local mayor Tom Kennedy.
"I encourage people who are worried about their own or a loved one's mental health to visit this centre, services are free and referrals for more intensive care can also be made.
"Unlike the Labor Party, which has not given Australians any detail on their plans for mental health, the Morrison Government will continue to ensure that all Australians can access information, advice, counseling, or treatment, when and where they need it," Mr Coulton said.
The Coalition's 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 budgets for national mental health and suicide prevention plans have been allocated with an extra $3 billion bringing the national budget to a record high of $6.8 billion, Mr Coulton said.
Among recent recipients of fresh health funding pledges include Nyngan's health services with $466,958 funding to build an extension to the Bogan Shire Medical Centre, providing more access to doctors and medical services for residents in the Gwydir and Bogan shires.
For the Indigenous communities across Australia, Mr Coulton said, the current Coalition budget includes $4.6 billion funding over four years to access wide-ranging culturally-appropriate primary health services and a $224 million package to train and employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people so they can work in the health sector, in rural health departments, universities, rescue services, and Royal Flying Doctor Service, among other health services facing a shortage of health professionals.
Young doctors are also being urged to train and practice at Lake Cargelligo Family Practice, located in the Parkes electorate, designated as part of the pilot Remote Vocational Training Scheme which provides $465,000 income support for each doctor trainee.
Doctors and nurses practicing in rural and remote towns after graduation are given help to pay off their university tuition fees as part of the scheme.
"The aim of this wage funding and support scheme is to encourage more young doctors to take up rural and remote GP work, and ensure they have adequate support, distance mentoring, and education to their college fellowship," Mr Coulton said.
The federal government's GP recruitment program under the Stronger Rural Health Strategy has so far trained over 400 doctors in 300 rural and remote communities, the health department said.