Written by Clare Jones, (B Occ Thy), MediRecruit
The Australian Senate is conducting an Inquiry into access to Medicare services in rural, regional, and remote Australia. This inquiry examines the availability and accessibility of Medicare-funded health services, including allied health services, outside major cities. While it covers healthcare broadly, podiatrists working in rural and regional areas have unique insights that can strengthen the inquiry’s findings.
Delivering allied health services in these regions comes with specific challenges, such as:
These challenges may not always appear in statistics but have a significant impact on day-to-day practice and patient care.
The terms of reference for the inquiry include access to primary care and allied health services under Medicare. This makes it an important opportunity to ensure that the experiences of podiatrists and other allied health professionals are considered when shaping future policy.
How Medicare supports rural and regional practitioners affects:
The Australian Podiatry Association (APA) is encouraging podiatrists practising in rural, regional, or remote areas to share their experiences. These may include:
APA is gathering these insights through a member-focused survey and other advocacy initiatives. While the survey is circulated primarily to members, podiatrists can stay updated and find ways to contribute via the APA website:
Australian Podiatry Association
Sharing your experiences helps ensure that Medicare policies better reflect the realities of rural podiatry practice and support both clinicians and their patients.
By contributing, you can help shape policies that improve healthcare delivery for Australians living outside major cities.