As Australia marks Farm Safety Week, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is calling for greater support to ensure farmers and their communities can access high-quality, local healthcare.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says investing in the health and wellbeing of rural and remote communities is essential to creating safer farming environments.
“Farming is one of the most physically and mentally demanding jobs in Australia, and our farmers face unique health and safety risks every day,” Dr Martin says.
“To support safer farms, we must support the health of the people who run them — that means having skilled, locally based doctors who understand rural and remote life and can provide care when and where it’s needed.”
Dr Martin says Rural Generalists (RGs) are the specialists who are central to the solution.
“Rural Generalist doctors bring advanced skills in emergency medicine, mental health, surgery, maternity care, anaesthetics, and more - and are trained to deliver whole-of-life care in settings beyond the urban footprint,” he says.
“Whether it’s responding to a machinery accident, providing mental health support via telehealth, or managing chronic disease, RGs are vital to the fabric of healthy rural communities.”
ACRRM is the only medical college dedicated to training a Rural Generalist workforce.
“Investing in RGs will not only improve rural health outcomes — it will help stabilise the rural medical workforce and support the sustainability of rural towns,” Dr Martin says.
“Healthy farmers mean safer farms.
“It’s time we recognised that building up rural healthcare is part of building up rural Australia.”
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says investing in the health and wellbeing of rural and remote communities is essential to creating safer farming environments.
“Farming is one of the most physically and mentally demanding jobs in Australia, and our farmers face unique health and safety risks every day,” Dr Martin says.
“To support safer farms, we must support the health of the people who run them — that means having skilled, locally based doctors who understand rural and remote life and can provide care when and where it’s needed.”
Dr Martin says Rural Generalists (RGs) are the specialists who are central to the solution.
“Rural Generalist doctors bring advanced skills in emergency medicine, mental health, surgery, maternity care, anaesthetics, and more - and are trained to deliver whole-of-life care in settings beyond the urban footprint,” he says.
“Whether it’s responding to a machinery accident, providing mental health support via telehealth, or managing chronic disease, RGs are vital to the fabric of healthy rural communities.”
ACRRM is the only medical college dedicated to training a Rural Generalist workforce.
“Investing in RGs will not only improve rural health outcomes — it will help stabilise the rural medical workforce and support the sustainability of rural towns,” Dr Martin says.
“Healthy farmers mean safer farms.
“It’s time we recognised that building up rural healthcare is part of building up rural Australia.”