Novo Nordisk partners to support the backbone of rural communities

Approximately 7 million Australians, or 28% of the population, live in rural, regional and remote communities, yet the doctors caring for these populations struggle to access healthcare themselves. A new partnership between Novo Nordisk and the Rural Doctors Foundation is fortifying the health and well-being of rural and remote health professionals.

The two year collaboration will bring the GPs4RuralDocs program to Southern New South Wales (NSW), providing up to 30 confidential primary care consultations for local clinicians. By enabling doctors and other health professionals to obtain care closer to home, the initiative is expected to preserve more than 600 patient appointments for the communities they serve.

Australia’s rural and remote communities face a pronounced shortfall in medical workforce capacity. There are just 2.5 doctors per 1,000 people in these areas, compared with 4.1 per 1,000 in urban settings. For healthcare professionals working in already stretched systems, seeking care for themselves can mean stepping away from communities that have few alternatives. As such, more than 40% of clinicians travel outside their local areas to obtain independent and confidential healthcare, while one in five travels more than 800 kilometres to access services for their own wellbeing.

Ryan Park MP, NSW Minister for Health and Minister for Regional Health, said “We welcome any initiative that boosts access to primary care in the regions. While primary care is a responsibility of the Commonwealth, the NSW Government is playing its part by doubling rural health incentives, allowing rural doctors to practice both in GP surgeries as well as hospitals, and investing over $200 million into key health worker accommodation.”

Rural and remote communities are responsible for producing 90% of Australia’s food and contribute approximately 67% of the nation’s export value, making the resilience of their healthcare workforce an economic as well as public health concern.

The Southern NSW expansion builds on the GPs4RuralDocs program’s earlier work in Queensland. With support from companies including Roche, the Rural Doctors Foundation has delivered more than 110 primary care consultations to rural health practitioners.

Amanda Roser, Chair of the Rural Doctors Foundation, said the expansion into NSW reflects growing demand for services aimed at supporting the professionals responsible for caring for rural communities.

“In small communities, concerns about privacy, long travel distances and workforce shortages can create significant barriers to seeking care,” explained Roser. “GPs4RuralDocs was created to address this gap. By bringing independent healthcare directly into rural communities, we are helping healthcare professionals access the care they need while remaining available to the patients and communities who rely on them. This partnership with Novo Nordisk represents an exciting next chapter for the program and will allow us to extend these important services into Southern New South Wales.”

Michael Azrak, General Manager of Novo Nordisk Oceania, said the initiative reflected a broader view of healthcare that extends beyond the pill.

“Healthcare doesn’t begin and end with medicines. At Novo Nordisk, we’re committed to being a trusted healthcare partner and working alongside like minded organisations such as Rural Doctors Foundation to help address broader challenges across the health system. By supporting initiatives such as GPs4RuralDocs, we can help strengthen clinician wellbeing, support workforce sustainability, helping improve access to care for people living in regional and rural communities.”

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