MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday 29 November 2005

Media Alert

Plan for achieving a sustainable
rural specialist workforce to be presented to the
Federal Health Minister tomorrow

At a function at Old Parliament House tomorrow (Wednesday 30 November 2005), the new President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), Dr Ross Maxwell, and Chair of RDAA’s Rural Specialists Group, Professor Rick McLean, will formally present to the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott MP, an important position paper developed by the Rural Specialists Group, A Sustainable Specialist Workforce for Rural Australia.

The position paper will be presented to the Minister at a meeting of the Rural Specialists Group, which comprises rural specialists from a variety of locations across Australia.

The position paper puts forward the key problems and issues impeding specialist medical practitioners working in rural Australia, and advocates a range of measures that governments could implement to better support this sector of the rural medical workforce.

When: 12:15pm for 12:30pm start, Wednesday 30 November 2005

Where: Members Dining Room 3, Old Parliament House, Canberra

All media are welcome to attend the presentation of the position paper to the Minister.

Please contact RDAA Media Advisor, Patrick Daley, tel: (02) 6273 9303 bh or 0408 004 890,
by 10am Wednesday to advise that you will be attending.

RDAA President, Dr Ross Maxwell, and Chair of RDAA’s Rural Specialist Group, Professor Rick McLean, will be available for interview prior to and on the day, by contacting Patrick Daley.