Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of health research issues affecting regional, rural and remote Australia

Abstract

A recent report predicts that in 2028 there will continue to be a significant shortages of essential health services in rural and remote Australia.2 Considering the disparity in health outcomes between rural and metropolitan areas, this is an area of concern and deserves attention. However, density of health services and providertopopulation ratios do not tell the whole story. It is crucial that health workforce data are linked to data on health needs and inequalities to tailor appropriate health workforce development initiatives. The geographic imbalance is a concern of equity and effectiveness of services, and any solution will require long term political commitment.3