Knock, knock Canberra… rural docs are at the door!

Rural doctors from all across Australia are heading to Canberra to meet with federal politicians to discuss plans for better access to health care for rural patients.

President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), Dr RT Lewandowski, will be leading the charge down parliamentary halls to knock on the doors of MPs and Senators in advance of the Budget and the 2025 Federal Election.

“RDAA has developed a five point plan for better health care for rural Australians, and we are going to make sure it is in front of as many politicians as possible before key decisions are made,” Dr Lewandowski said.

“Rural patients need more access to GPs, better access to specialists, and there needs to be a coordinated plan to achieve this.

“One of the key elements of our pre-Budget submission and our Federal Election Priorities is the development of a National Rural Health Strategy. 

“This strategy should be developed by the government’s own National Rural Health Commissioner Prof Jenny May, who has the skills, understanding and authority needed to consult with the sector and to enable outcomes from recent reviews to be considered in the rural context and progressed in ways that actually work for rural communities.

“There is a very urgent need for improved access to care for rural Australians. We want to help the government deliver that, and to build a sustainable medical workforce for rural and remote Australia,” Dr Lewandowski said.

“Our election priorities deal with these issues and provide not only the short-term help needed to improve access to health care, but also integrate into a longer-term plan.”

RDAA will also be hosting a networking function that will bring together rural doctors from every state in Australia with representatives from rural health stakeholder groups, the Department of Health and federal politicians.

“We quite literally have rural doctors from all sides of Australia attending the networking event,” Dr Lewandowski said.

“From Albany in the west, Darwin in the north, Tasmania… north Queensland… to as local as Temora in NSW.

“We will have every aspect of rural and remote health covered; Aboriginal health, rural obstetrics, anaesthetics, emergency, and of course the complex care delivered by rural GPs who provide a level of service well beyond that required in urban GP practice.

“We will be discussing our Pre-Budget/Election Priorities in-person with the opportunity for doctors to explain to key decision-makers, one-on-one, why this will make a real difference to rural and remote patients.

“Attending the event will be Assistant Minister for Regional and Rural Health, Emma McBride, and Shadow Health Minister Senator Anne Ruston, along with representatives from peak health organisations.”

In the days prior to the networking event RDAA representatives will be meeting with Minister for Health Hon. Mark Butler, with Assistant Minister McBride, and Assistant Minister for Health Ged Kearney. Meetings have also been arranged with Leader of the Opposition Hon. Peter Dutton, Shadow Minister for Health Senator Anne Ruston, Shadow Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health Dr Anne Webster, Secretary of the Department of Health Blair Comley PSM, along with other key politicians and executives involved in rural health.

“It is always an exciting and rare opportunity for us to gather rural and remote doctors in Canberra, and this year in the lead up to the Federal Election it is particularly important,” Dr Lewandowski said.

“What rural communities need and want when it comes to health services is simple: better access to medical services; more local health services; less waiting times.

“RDAA has a plan to achieve this. We now need our elected representatives to get behind these practical solutions and lock them into election promises.”