25 May 2012

Rural health unsure of how Budget helps sector

1:27 pm on 25 May 2012

The Rural General Practice Network says it's hard to see how the rural sector will benefit from a boost to health spending.

The health sector received the largest increase in Government spending in the Budget yesterday with an extra $1.5 billion over the next four years.

Rural GP Network chair Dr Jo Scott Jones says he's pleased the Voluntary Bonding Scheme received an additional $4 million to include medical radiotherapists and physicists.

The scheme offers cash incentives to health graduates who work in hard to staff areas.

But he says it's hard to identify any other benefits for the rural health sector.