General practitioners looking to move to rural Tasmania will receive a $100,000 grant as part of the state government’s $4 million initiative to attract health professionals to the state.
The Liberal state government has also pledged to cancel HECS debts of up to $100,000 for doctors who agree to work in outer urban areas of Tasmania.
HECS assistance will operate separately from the existing federal government plan that relieves eligible GPs of 100 percent of their HECS debt and will assist physicians who do not meet federal requirements.
The package will include an allocation of $100,000 to be spread over five years: 10 percent will be paid at the end of the first year, 20 percent at the end of the second year, 30 percent at the end of the third year, and 40 percent at the end of the fourth year.
The government hopes the initiative will help fill 40 positions in Tasmania’s rural and regional communities.
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Guy Barnett said the initiative was deliberately designed to attract new GPs to the state.
“We are making record investments across all major hospitals, employing more frontline healthcare workers and making steady progress in ending the gradual rise in cases, but we know that attracting more GPs here is critical to supporting this work, especially in our regions,” he said.
‘I am confident that this important incentive will quickly begin to attract GPs to our rural and regional communities, and Tasmanians will benefit as a result.
GPs looking to relocate to rural Tasmania will receive a $100,000 grant as part of a $4 million initiative to attract healthcare professionals (pictured: the Tamar River in Tasmania)
The Tasmanian State Government has also committed to cancelling HECS debts of up to a maximum of $100,000 for doctors who agree to work in outer urban areas (stock).
‘This is another part of our GP Guarantee, with our commitment to also provide multi-year funding to GP practices in outer urban, regional and rural areas of Tasmania and our GP NOW Rapid Response Team, both of which are expected to commence shortly.’
Final guidelines on how to apply and the specific areas in which the program will apply will be published on August 1.
In a similar initiative, the Queensland state government is offering $70,000 to GPs willing to relocate from Brisbane to rural or remote communities across the state.