1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:01,600 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line this morning. 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 2: We know that more than thirty five Allied Health students 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 2: each year are going to now undertake placements and receive 4 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 2: important hands on training in Catherine Health clinics through this 5 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:14,319 Speaker 2: one point nine million dollar federal government grant. Now joining 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 2: me on the line is doctor David Gillespie, the Federal 7 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 2: Minister for Regional Health. 8 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, doctor Gillespie. 9 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, good morning Katie. Great to be with you. 10 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, wonderful to have you on the show. Now. 11 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: One point nine million dollars for health students to undertake 12 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 2: placements in Catherine. What's the aim of this program. 13 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 3: It's to get local and nordern territory Allied health students 14 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 3: in occupational therapy and speech therapy and other Allied health 15 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 3: disciplines practical training on the ground in a regional center. 16 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 3: And Catherine's being chosen because there's networks here with the 17 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 3: Indigenous Allied Health Australia and Willing Willing Jen and Cathern 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 3: West Health Board. They have clinics here and Flinda's University 19 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 3: has got supervisors. The whole mix will mean that local 20 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 3: territory and students get experience as well as some from 21 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 3: out of the area get experience in rural and remote Australia. 22 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 3: As you know, everyone knows there's nurses and doctors in 23 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 3: hospitals and medical centers, but there's also allied health those 24 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 3: people like these ots and speech therapists and physios pharmacists. 25 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 3: It takes a whole suite of professionals to get a 26 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 3: good health service. So we're doing this around Australia, but 27 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 3: it's here in the territory being expanded in Catherine well and. 28 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 2: I know that it's something we certainly need to have 29 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 2: happened in the Northern Territory. 30 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: Right around the territory. 31 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: We have had a shortage, it seems, over recent weeks 32 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: and months when it comes to some of those various 33 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 2: health professions, Doctor Gillespie, How quickly is this going to 34 00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 2: get underway. 35 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 3: I'm meeting with all the partners in this project this morning, 36 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 3: hearing Catherine. They want to get going as soon as 37 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 3: they get the money, which has been happening behind the scenes, 38 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: but we're announcing it today and I'm getting a full 39 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 3: debrief on when the first students have started or are starting. 40 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 3: As you know, they come for rotations and they're supervised 41 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 3: by three Allied health clinicians and one Aboriginal Allied Health 42 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 3: Assessment assistant. It's great for the local workforce to be 43 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 3: evolved in teaching students. It adds a career philip to 44 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 3: people who are evolved in it. So it's good for 45 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 3: the local health workforce too because these students actually will 46 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 3: be treating people under supervision as well. 47 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 2: Is it going to be enough though, to you know, like, 48 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: it's obviously great to get them there for these placements, 49 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 2: but is it going to be enough to get people 50 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: to actually move to some of our wonderful regional town 51 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: centers like Catherine and you know, get them to stay 52 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: and to work there longer term. 53 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, look, you've nailed it there, Katie. There is 54 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 3: an issue around the country. There's way too many health 55 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 3: professionals in the big bright lights of cities and we 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:16,959 Speaker 3: have got so many programs. Some are short immediate terms 57 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 3: like financial incentives baked in to give doctors and nurse 58 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 3: practitioners extra help financially. And also we've announced in the 59 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 3: last six weeks the initiative of Relieving Help or hext 60 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 3: step for doctors who go into Rule and Remote Australia. 61 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 3: They've got to stay, can't just do it like a 62 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 3: three month term there, but if they stay, they get 63 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 3: relief of their HELP debt, and same for nurse practitioners, 64 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 3: and that started first to January. So all the time 65 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 3: they spend here accumulates, they've still got to pay their 66 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 3: HEX debt. But if they stay longer term for up 67 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 3: to half the length of their medical degree or their 68 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 3: nurse practitioner, all of a sudden they get a refund 69 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 3: of up to half, and if they stay the whole time, 70 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 3: they get a full refund. So that's a big financial incentive. 71 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 3: And that's on top of some existing ones that are 72 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 3: part of the Medicare system that if you are in 73 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 3: these more remote areas you get bulk billing incentive is greater. 74 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 3: You get workforce incentive payments for you yourself as well 75 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 3: as for the practice to employ allied health like nurse 76 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 3: practitioners and psychologists and ots and physiasts. And we've also 77 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 3: got support for the Flying Doctor, which is massive presence 78 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 3: in the NT and we also have increased since twenty 79 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 3: thirteen heaps of the money to the NT Health. Look. 80 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 3: I was with just Enterprice and Damian Ryan last night 81 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 3: in Catherine. They are right on top of these issues. 82 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 3: Damien has lived and worked in the southern part of 83 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 3: the territory, but he is getting around everywhere hearing this 84 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 3: loud and clear. They're not just looking after small business, 85 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 3: which is in our DNA, but they're looking after their 86 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 3: health system. 87 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: Well, and I think, and it needs to happen, you know. 88 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: I guess we're in a situation where there are some 89 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 2: parts of the Northern Territory where it is difficult to 90 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: be able to get those healthcare professionals there. I know, 91 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 2: last time we had you on the show, when you 92 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 2: were talking to us about that initiative to get some 93 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 2: of those new graduates out to the more remote areas, 94 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 2: somebody in the healthcare system have been in contact and said, look, Katie, 95 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 2: it seems like a great idea, but the only concern 96 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 2: is are we sending some of these brand new graduates 97 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 2: out to locations where the sickest of territorians are living, 98 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: in some cases with very minimal experience. 99 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 3: Well that's not quite correct. The training spots. When you're 100 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: a GP registrar, you have to have a supervisor, but 101 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 3: they qualify for this even if they're working in say 102 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 3: an Aboriginal or community controlled health organization, of which there's 103 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 3: a huge suite of them in the territory. Whether you're 104 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 3: in a private general practice, being supervised as a registrar 105 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 3: or in the local hospital, there is the requirement. It 106 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 3: doesn't that benefit doesn't kick in upfront. It kicks in 107 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 3: if you stay for a significant period of time. We 108 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 3: have put so much money into the Flying Doctor, into 109 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 3: the indigenous side of things, the Aboriginal Medical Services and 110 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 3: the hospitals and the private health networks, the phs. We've 111 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 3: got a sweet support, but we can't conscript people. They've 112 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 3: got to want to come absolutely for them to have 113 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 3: a great experience and earn a proper return for the 114 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 3: effort and the reward and the extra responsibility. 115 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: Well they won't want to stay. 116 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 3: People do get sicker in country areas. That's why we've 117 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 3: got this absolute focus on getting the workforce crisis improved 118 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 3: in country Australia. 119 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: Minister, we are going to have to leave it there. 120 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 2: I really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks very much 121 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: for having a chat with us about this funding boost. 122 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 3: My pleasure. 123 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: Thank you.