Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

Finally, I want to understand whether the department has looked at, or is intending to look at, how technologies like telehealth could be used to support the current nurse workforce, noting the challenges particularly of the shallow workforces we're finding in rural, regional and remote Australia. I'm wondering whether any consideration has been given, or will be given, to supporting providers to use innovative technologies like telehealth to ensure that older Australians are able to get the care that is possible within the circumstances that they, often, wish to live in. I know a lot of people who live in rural, regional and remote Australia would prefer to stay in their own communities rather than move to places that may have a greater depth of service opportunity. So I'm just wondering whether any consideration has been given to using other types of technology and innovative approaches to ensure that service is provided without necessarily having to force providers to have 24/7 nurses when other alternatives may deliver the same outcome.