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28 November 2005 Education centre to bring more health professionals to North Coast
NSW Minister for Health,John Hatzistergos, today opened the Second Stage of the Rural Health Student Education Centre, operated by the Northern Rivers University Department of Rural Health (NRUDRH). He was joined by the Member for Tweed, Neville Newell MP. "The continued enhancement of top-class educational facilities in the heart of northern NSW will help to attract and retain more doctors, nurses and allied health staff in the fastest growing part of the state," Mr Hatzistergos said. Costed at around $250,000, the latest works, incorporate nine more accommodation units, as well as a large new kitchen and a lounge and dining area for the residential students. "This facility demonstrates the NSW Government's understanding that students are not just here to work, but to live in a beautiful part of Australia and to become a part of the local community," Mr Hatzistergos said. The Centre is situated on the campus of Murwillumbah District Hospital and was opened in September 2003 by Ms Cherie Burton, then-Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health. The NSW Department of Health contributed $300,000 to the project which began with the refurbishment of the former nurses' quarters. Stage One included a training facility with lecture theatres, videoconferencing and tutorial rooms, and four ensuite bedrooms. The NRUDRH, which is headquartered in Lismore, is a Department of The University of Sydney in collaboration with the locally based Southern Cross University. It is supported by North Coast Area Health Service and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. Its aims are to improve the recruitment and retention of clinicians in rural areas, specifically in public health. "The NRUDRH has the key role of supporting student placements within the North Coast region and providing a positive experience of rural health that will encourage the students to practice in rural areas once they have graduated "This vital program accommodates undergraduates of all disciplines and from a wide range of universities," the Minister said. "It helps local health services and clinicians to develop and evaluate innovative models of care and to foster world-class health research in the region," said Mr Newell. "The NRUDRH also provides local clinicians with links to a number of internationally respected centres of excellence allied with The University of Sydney. "This facility gives medical students a chance to see what life is like in our beautiful area. We would welcome any of them to come back and work here when they graduate," Mr Newell added. Last year the centre hosted a total of 106 weeks of medical student placements (27 students), 150 weeks of nursing placements (70 students) and 183 weeks of allied health placements (54 students). The local benefits of rural training and placements have been confirmed by national research. Studying and working in a non-metropolitan setting can
For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au |
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