2.7 Rural Specialist Services Grant
The Rural Specialist Services Grant was introduced in 1996-97 to foster and maintain specialty services to key regional and sub-regional hospitals, recognising the importance of these hospitals having a wide range of high quality services available to rural populations.
Funding for this grant has been increased to $7.2 million, while the conditions pertaining to the grant have been simplified to remove distinctions between specialty groups, and to increase flexibility for services to reflect regional needs.
Grants for each eligible specialty have been increased by 20 per cent to $60,000 for the major regional and sub-regional hospitals. Regional hospitals will be eligible to receive grants up to a maximum of nine specialties, while sub-regional hospitals will be eligible to receive a maximum of five specialties.
Specialties will not be restricted to those included in the scheme in 1996-97 (i.e. anaesthetics, obstetrics/gynaecology, paediatrics, general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, geriatric/rehabilitation, psychiatry and emergency medicine). Other recognised specialties such as urology and ear, nose and throat, will be recognised, but a maximum number of nine specialties for regional hospitals and five specialties for sub-regional hospitals will continue to be applied. Criteria used to establish whether specialties are substantial and regularly available will remain unchanged.
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Victoria - Public Hospitals
Policy and Funding Guidelines
1997-1998 - Table of Contents
