Setting a blueprint for the future education, training and management of the NT's medical workforce will be the focus of a Department of Health and Community Services summit to be held in Darwin later this month.
The summit will be chaired by the Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Mr Robert Wells who has previously worked on health workforce and other health issues including primary care, private health insurance and rural health.
Department of Health and Community Services CEO, Dr David Ashbridge commissioned a review of Medical Education and Training in the Northern Territory last year.
A key recommendation of the review was to establish a more cohesive and coordinated approach to providing education, training and management to the NT medical workforce in the future.
Dr Ashbridge says it is no secret the Territory needed more doctors and specialists.
"One way we can do that is to 'grow our own'," he says.
"Those doctors and specialists who have a connection to the Territory through family or schooling tend to stay and provide a valuable contribution to our health system.
"As a result our workforce base grows and we have medical staff who are better versed in the unique health issues we face."
Dr Ashbridge says the Medical Education and Training Summit will bring together a wide range of medical staff from across the Department, hospitals and the Territory's medical sector along with interstate education providers.
"The Summit will focus on developing a blueprint for growing and retaining the Territory's medical workforce and building an Indigenous medical workforce into the future.
"We will be developing an NT model to better deliver health services to the Territory community based on the strengths the NT has to offer - such as its unique exposure to fascinating medicine.
"The Northern Territory is such a rich training environment for our medical workforce. The vast geographical location and small-dispersed population means our professionals have opportunities to develop their skills that they'd normally only see in other countries.
"There is so much potential for the NT to develop truly comprehensive primary health care services in metropolitan, rural and remote areas.
"I expect the Medical Education and Training Summit to produce a system that will improve the education and retention of the medical workforce in the Territory.
The Department of Health and Community Services is actively building on existing training and recruitment models and implementing other recommendations of the Medical Education and Training Review, including the establishment of nationally consistent assessment processes for International Medical Graduates and the accreditation of intern training.
Media inquiries: Cameron Jackson 0401 116 144
Release date: 23 April 2008
