News
Queensland Signs Historic Deal To Produce More Locally-Trained Doctors |
| Spokesperson: | Minister for Health - Hon Stephen Robertson |
| Date: | Wednesday, 10 May 2006 |
| Category: | State Health News |
| The State Government signed an historic contract with Griffith University today that will result in an extra 235 locally-trained doctors for Queensland. Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the State Government is spending $60 million to fund 235 additional medical student places at Griffith University over five years. "The Commonwealth knows Queensland needs an extra 325 medical student places in our local universities. We'll be lucky to get 50 off Canberra. "This sentences Queenslanders to a continuing shortage of Australian-trained doctors. "The only solution is for Canberra to provide a lot more local university places so we can train more doctors in Queensland, for Queenslanders. "Instead, John Howard has the States competing against each other for available Australian doctors; and recruiting overseas for doctors that are needed in their own countries. "That's just not good enough. "That's why Queensland is going it alone and picking up the ball the Howard Government has dropped," Mr Robertson said. The $60 million contract between the State Government and Griffith University was signed today by the Director-General of Queensland Health, Uschi Schreiber; and Professor Debra Creedy, the Dean (Academic) of Griffith Health. Under the agreement, 235 medical students will receive Queensland Health scholarships to complete a four-year course at the Gold Coast campus of Griffith University. The graduate doctors will then be bonded to work for six years in Queensland. They will work in areas of priority service such as rural and remote areas of Queensland, including Indigenous and community-run health services. Queensland Health will fund each student placement at an annual cost equivalent to the Commonwealth contribution for medical placements, which is approximately between $25,000 and $29,000 for each student over the next eight years. In addition, Queensland Health will make a one-off capital grant of $9.75 million to the medical school at Griffith University. Queensland Health will also pay each student an annual educational support allowance which will total approximately $23.5 million over the life of the scheme. The first intake of 35 students to receive the state-funded scholarships began their medical studies at Griffith University in February. Another 50 scholarships will be given each year for the next four years, bringing the total number of scholarships to 235. The Director-General of Queensland Health, Uschi Schreiber, encouraged students considering a career in medicine to apply for the scholarships. "This is a wonderful opportunity for medical students. "This agreement also highlights the good working relationship we have with universities in the state, and the common goal we share in ensuring the health care needs of Queenslanders are being met," Ms Schreiber said. Professor Debra Creedy said Griffith University has some of the best medical, oral health and clinical sciences facilities in the country and is at the cutting edge in biomedical research. "Combined with this welcome support from the State Government, we expect Griffith medical graduates will continue to make significant contributions to the future of health in Queensland," Professor Creedy said. |
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