Jock's Blog

IPTAAS and more doctors and nurses

This week the NSW Minister for Health, the Hon John Della Bosca, announced in Parliament that part of the Government’s response to the Garling Report is to improve entitlements for patients using the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS).   The Minister said, “There is no question that we are experiencing tough times and that communities need all the help they can get.” 

Under the new changes eligible pensioners and health care cardholders will no longer have to personally contribute to travel costs to access specialist treatment.  For those who have to travel over 100 kilometres for specialist treatment they will no longer have to contribute towards their travel cost nor pay an administrative fee.

The Minister also announced $30 million in funding over the next four years to create 45 extra medical positions in rural areas.  This funding will help improve the supply of skilled doctors in rural areas.  It will also be compulsory for second and third year medical students to do rural training.  The Government is also permanently allocating Country Careers Officers in each of the four rural area health services to help support recruitment of doctors, nurses and other clinical staff into rural communities.