New petition calls for establishment of rural health department

Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, has launched a petition calling for the establishment of a department of rural health in NSW.

The e-petition, which is now open for signatures, acknowledges that rural, remote and regional NSW face unique challenges in both the provision and accessing of health care.

“The petition calls on the government to establish a department of rural health to safeguard and increase rural health services and provide the rural health workforce that communities need on the ground,” Dr McGirr said.

Launching the e-petition is the latest step in Dr McGirr’s campaign to have a rural health department established in NSW.

“We now have a regional health minister in NSW and I believe she needs the support of a department behind her,” he said.

In parliament this month, the Independent MP moved a notice of motion, which also called for the establishment of a stand-alone department.

While he acknowledges there has been a great deal of work done in the last 20 years to improve rural, regional and remote health, Dr McGirr said there is a lot more to do.

Dr McGirr believes a newly formed rural health department should have four key functions.

The first priority is workforce, he said, while the second role for a department of rural health should be one of advocacy.

The next priority, Dr McGirr believes, should be to safeguard existing health services in rural, remote and regional areas, and to also look at options for expansion and improvement.

Finally, Dr McGirr believes a newly formed department should be working closely with the commonwealth government, for example in the training general practitioners and the provision of drug and alcohol and mental health services.

“The rural health inquiry has shown healthcare in rural, remote and regional NSW is still lagging and that there is a lot more the government can do to improve services,” he said.

“The submissions made to the inquiry mirror many of the experiences and stories shared with me by constituents.”

You can sign the petition here.