David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Australian government recognises the unique challenges facing the health system in the regions and is focused on improving the capacity, quality, distribution and services to meet the needs of families and communities.

The 2018-19 budget $550 million 10-year Stronger Rural Health Strategy continues to give doctors more opportunities to train and practise in regional, rural and remote Australia, and incentivises nurses and allied health professionals to participate in multidisciplinary, team based primary care. After the first two years, more than 700 additional GPs and 700 additional nurses are now working in regional and remote areas.

Building on and supporting the implementation of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy, the government has announced a further $123 million health workforce reform package in the 2021-22 budget to ensure the health workforce is available to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians.

The government funds a broad range of programs to train, attract and retain medical professionals in rural communities. This includes the statutory Bonded Medical Program—the program—which commenced on 1 January 2020.

The program provides a Commonwealth-supported place in a medical course at an Australian university in exchange for participants completing a return of service obligation (ROSO) working as a medical practitioner in a regional, rural or remote community. The program aims to deliver high numbers of vocationally recognised general practitioners and specialists to areas of workforce shortage.

In addition to accepting new student participants every year, the program allows participants of legacy schemes—the Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (MRBS) Scheme and the Bonded Medical Places Scheme—to opt in to the program. Participants from these legacy schemes are attracted to opt in to the program because it provides more flexible options to undertake and complete their Return of Service Obligation. In addition, the Return of Service Obligation—generally three years—is less than what would otherwise be required under the legacy schemes.

The Health Insurance Amendment (Enhancing the Bonded Medical Program and Other Measures) Bill 2021 (the bill) provides additional flexibility to support the ongoing administration of the program. The proposed amendments will address unintended consequences in the interests of participants and will also support achievement of the program's objectives.

The proposed amendments to the Health Insurance Act 1973 will introduce additional administrative flexibility into the program. Amendments will allow a person to cease to be a bonded participant—and effectively exit the program—in the event of their death or if the secretary determines that exceptional circumstances apply to the person.

The amendments also provide greater flexibility to provide some long-term legacy scheme participants—who would otherwise not be able to complete their return of service obligation in the 18-year period allowed—an extension of time to complete their return of service obligation under the program, if needed.

The bill will also ensure that the administrative penalty applied under the program—when bonded participants fail to give information or documents to the department within prescribed time frames—is appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances.

The bill also provides for the more appropriate administration of breaches of legacy Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship contracts.

It will allow for the waiving of amounts owing to the Commonwealth accrued by Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship Scheme participants due to minor or inadvertent breaches of their contractual arrangements.

It will also establish discretionary authority as to whether a person—having breached their Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship contract with the Commonwealth—should be subject to a ban period during which a Medicare benefit is not payable in respect of a professional service rendered by, or on behalf of, the person as a medical practitioner.

Overall, the bill enhances the Bonded Medical Program in the interests of participants. It allows for more appropriate and efficient administration of bonded programs and above all, to meet and support the needs of a modern workforce—a workforce of medical professionals providing crucial health services in regional, rural and remote Australia, at this critical time.

Debate adjourned.