General News
19 April, 2022
Growing A Rural Health Workforce For Nq
ON Monday, the Honourable David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, was in Cairns to announce Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ) as a recipient of the Northern Queensland Development Program, Business and Community Grant (the Grant).
The Grant will enable health students to be immersed, trained and skilled for employment in the communities of Mareeba, Atherton, Ravenshoe and Herberton, adding to and complimenting their university schedule.
As a direct result of the Grant, Health Workforce Queensland’s GROW Rural Northern Queensland (GROW Rural NQ) will commence in September 2022.
GROW Rural NQ is a collaboration involving local communities, service providers and health professionals who will actively contribute to the program’s planning and development.
This project will give health students a unique experience, provide them with the skills they need for local employment, and develop familiarity and a deeper understanding of their professional and personal lives when working in rural north Queensland.
Health Workforce Queensland’s Engagement and Development Manager, Andrew Hayward, said this Grant was highly significant for the regional communities.
“We know the positive impacts of training health students in the regions,” Mr Hayward said.
“Connecting with the community, building familiarity and developing the skills they need to succeed has a major influence on a health students’ decision where they will practice; this grant is a massive boost for our Northern Queensland rural communities.”
Through the provision of the Grant, HWQ aims to create a pipeline of health graduates trained and ready for a health career in rural practice in Northern Queensland.
A targeted group of medical, allied health and nursing students will be selected and provided with exposure to rural and remote Queensland required to commence a career in primary health care in Mareeba, Atherton, Ravenshoe and Herberton over three years.
The unique aspect of GROW Rural NQ is that it is the only program of its type to include students from all health disciplines.
It is aimed at first-year health students, and throughout the program, the students gain first-hand experience working collaboratively with other students from different disciplines.
Students are taught about Indigenous history and culture by Elders, listen to rural career stories from local health professionals, and learn and improve their clinical skills by participating in scenarios that focus on the real issues faced by specific rural communities.
Health Workforce Queensland CEO, Mr Chris Mitchell, said the Grant is critical to the sustainability of the GROW Rural program.
“The Grant will enable us to expand GROW Rural and collaborate with the practices, communities, councils and other service providers to expose and prepare a targeted health workforce for the Northern Queensland communities of Mareeba, Atherton, Ravenshoe and Herberton,” Mr Mitchell said.
“Early exposure and the development of familiarity are key to the success of GROW Rural; this grant funding means that we can implement the activities required to prepare a future workforce.”
“After the outstanding success of GROW Rural Central Queensland, the announcement by Minister Littleproud means that more health students will have the opportunity to be part of rural communities and discover how integral rural health professionals are to community wellbeing,” he said.
