Rural retention Program

In the 1999–2000 Budget the Australian Government committed $171 million over four years to a range of programs to strengthen the rural health workforce. An amount of $67.1 million has been allocated to provide payments to assist in retaining long-serving doctors in rural and remote Australia.

The Rural Retention Program (RRP) has been introduced to encourage more doctors to remain in those rural and remote areas experiencing the most difficulty retaining GP services. By offering targeted financial incentives to long-serving doctors in those areas, the Program aims to improve access to primary health care. This should result in greater stability and continuity in medical services, and improved health outcomes for Australians living in such areas.

The Rural Retention Program identifies doctors providing services in eligible rural and remote locations using a rural and remote geographic classification index known as the General Practitioner Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia (GPARIA). The index, developed specifically for the Rural Retention Program, classifies localities through the application of consistent criteria that reflect issues identified as important to rural doctors (general remoteness, local isolation and professional isolation measurements).

For further information visit Department of Health and Ageing

Last updated: 18 February, 2009