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Joint communique​

The inaugural Bilateral Regional Health Forum committed to working more effectively together to deliver better outcomes for rural and regional communities.

The forum, co-chaired by The Hon. Brad Hazzard MP, Minister for Health and Medical Research and The ​Hon. Mark Coulton MP, Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government, brought together key stakeholders in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Commonwealth government and non-government organisations.​â¶Ä‹

It was agreed that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and the Commonwealth will collaborate to:

• ​develop regional collaborative funding models to ensure GPs, nurses and allied health staff are attracted to work and stay in regional and rural areas
• further develop training programs to support GPs and rural generalists into rural practice
• build resilience and mental health support in the regions
• develop attractive funding and employment models for ​doctors in training to work across hospitals and General Practice
• share and scale successful regional workforce and service initiatives.

The Ministers acknowledged the work already being done by Primary Health Networks, Local Health Districts, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Rural Doctors Network, and non-government organisations in building health care in the regions.

The forum will come together twice a year to discuss important health issues which affect communities across regional ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and report progress on the objectives of the forum. It represents a commitment to stronger collaboration between the Commonwealth and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Governments to work together on the issues that matter the most to regional ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.