Under a Victorian Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, eligible doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, who take up hard-to-fill positions in rural and regional Victoria, could receive incentives of up to $10,000, including support for relocation, accommodation and professional development.
Ovens Valley MP, Tim McCurdy, said workforce shortages continued to put pressure on local health services and the people who rely on them.
“Our local health workers do an incredible job, but we cannot keep asking them to do more with less,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Across Ovens Valley, we need to make sure hospitals and health services can attract the doctors, nurses and allied health professionals needed to provide the care our communities deserve.
“This is about giving health professionals a genuine reason to choose a career in regional Victoria and making sure local families can access quality healthcare without having to leave the region.”
The scheme will target communities experiencing the most severe workforce shortages and is modelled on a successful NSW program.
“We need to give people a reason to come to Ovens Valley, but we also need to give them a reason to stay,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Providing support with housing, relocation and professional development can make a real difference when someone is deciding whether to build their career and their life in a regional community.
“People living in regional Victoria deserve access to the same quality health and mental health services as those living in metropolitan Melbourne.”
9°C