LATE last week, the Federal Government announced a $53.1M investment plan to increase the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce with a ten-year goal.
The plan will seek to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people employed in the health sector from the current 1.8 percent to 3.43 percent, by 2031.
This will mean an unprecedented increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, health workers and health practitioners working across the health system through the next decade, providing culturally safe and responsive health and medical care.
The plan has been praised by Liberal candidate for the seat of Nicholls, Steve Brooks.
“As a community with one of the largest Indigenous populations in Victoria outside of Melbourne this is a unique opportunity for our local people. Given the current shortage of health professionals this will not benefit the Indigenous communities of Nicholls, but also the wider community. It would mean more local health professionals servicing the Murray and Goulburn regions,” said Mr Brooks.
