Health professionals commend rural and remote locum scheme
Rural and remote health practitioners have applauded a ground-breaking locum program that’s working to improve Australia’s bush and outback as an attractive career option for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.
Since 2011, the Nursing and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme (NAHRLS) has placed more than 4,100 health professionals in regional, rural, remote and isolated locations, enabling permanent practitioners to take annual leave or pursue continuing professional development.
NAHRLS, a Federal Government-funded program, recruits, places and supports experienced health professionals as locums, pays and organises their travel and accommodation while also covering the cost of meals and incentives throughout their short-term placements.
The NAHRLS program provides affordable backfill support for health services, which pay only the base locum rate - there are no agency fees or extra costs.
A Charles Sturt University review has found the Aspen Medical-run program is reducing the risk of stress and burn out among rural and remote health practitioners, which often leads to high staff turnover.
In another major advantage, it reveals the program is also encouraging locums to consider a range of rural and remote career opportunities.
The report shows 58 per cent of permanent practitioners are ‘quite likely’ or would ‘most definitely’ remain working in their position because of access to NAHRLS while 79 per cent of locums are more likely to remain in their profession as a result of the scheme.
The report, which surveyed almost 200 locum and permanent health professionals including nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, optometrists, oral health practitioners, podiatrists, osteopaths and occupational therapists, revealed health services’ overwhelming support for the scheme.
Health services said the provision of high quality and subsidised locums for backfill enables permanent nursing, midwifery and allied health staff to have time away from work, enhancing the retention of staff.
The program has been vital for some health services unable to recruit permanent staff, while one permanent practitioner said the program alleviates the stress and anxiety around being able to continue health services in a rural location.
“I think it is a great service that supports regional health workers, especially solo practitioners, encouraging and supporting them to continue in the workforce where most people often don’t want to work, due in part to the social isolation,” the provider said.
One practitioner praising the program had received locum cover just once in the 16 years before NAHRLS was launched.
“As a sole practitioner, it (NAHRLS) enabled me to have a stress-free period of annual leave knowing that I had locum cover while I was away,” the practitioner said.
Health services said reliable access to competent locum cover also works to retain permanent health professionals in rural and remote communities.
“They (nurses) know that they’re handing over to somebody who is experienced and is going to get on and do the job…it does relax them…and yes it does help to retain the staff.”
The report found NAHRLS supplements the health workforce in rural and remote communities, enabling locums the chance to work in new locations, with flexible employment offering work-life balance.
It also provides locums with the opportunity to consider a permanent move to a rural and remote workplace.
“It gives people an opportunity to get in, have a look and get a feel for the community and for the type of work that they do at the facilities,” one health service said.
“Perhaps that then encourages them to think…‘actually I wouldn’t mind coming back and working here’.”
Locums also cited a range of benefits, from a knowledge exchange to improving their skills and expertise in rural and remote health, while their support also reduces the professional isolation of permanent practitioners.
“I have often been told that it is great to have someone with a fresh and innovative approach working with them from time to time, to open the staff up to new ideas and more contemporary ways of doing things,” one locum said.
Aspen Medical
Aspen Medical’s General Manager for Australian Subsidiaries Mark Ellis said one of the program’s many benefits is its ability to retain older health professionals, especially nurses, who may otherwise exit the nursing profession or retire.
“There’s the nurses who are not necessarily looking at retiring but don’t want to work full time anymore and particularly don’t want to work in a hospital situation, so they are looking for some way to transition out of the workforce,” he said.
“This gives them an opportunity to do that - to utilise their skills and expertise in rural and remote locations while still having an income.”
Permanent practitioners and locums said the program ensures health services can deliver continuity of care in rural and remote communities.
“It (NAHRLS) has made it viable for me to visit and provide primary eye care to six remote Aboriginal communities,” one permanent practitioner said.
“In the past, these visits may have resulted in a net profit loss to my business and hence be non-sustainable.”
Other permanent practitioners said the scheme allowed local birthing services to continue, preventing pregnant women from travelling large distances.
“The birthing community did not have to face a temporary interruption to the service, possibly requiring transfer for some of the women to the regional facility 1.5 hours away by road,” one permanent practitioner said.
“This has been identified in the past as a very stressful period in the pregnancy for women if it occurs.”
Health services said NAHRLS locums, who are credentialed through Aspen Medical before being matched to a regional, rural, remote or isolated position, are also remote-ready.
“The nurses that they (NAHRLS) have are really, really well experienced in remote (healthcare),” one respondent said.
“They’re the sort of staff that can just hit the ground running.”
The report found NAHRLS “has addressed a previously unmet need for nursing and allied health professionals working in rural and remote locations in Australia”.
“The NAHRLS is therefore an important mechanism to help maintain the health and independence of people living in rural and remote communities in Australia,” it states.