Rural LAP: Bringing skilled healthcare professionals to rural and remote Australia

Delivering quality healthcare services in rural and remote regions presents unique challenges. Limited access to healthcare professionals, resource shortages, and geographical isolation make it difficult to maintain consistent care standards. The Rural Locum Assistance Program (Rural LAP) can help to address these challenges. Rural LAP is a government-funded program providing skilled locums in aged care, allied health, nursing and midwifery, GP and specialist obstetricians, and GP and specialist anaesthetists.

In many remote areas, healthcare services struggle to find healthcare professionals available and with the skills to fill in when staff take annual leave or Continued Professional Development (CPD) leave, or to fill vacant positions* to prevent gaps in service. North West Remote Health (NWRH) services some of Queensland’s most isolated communities and knows the challenges all too well, having faced staff shortages that stretched their team and threatened the quality of care provided. In March of 2024, NWRH engaged Rural LAP and were able to bring in Rachael, a highly skilled Personal Care Worker.

“As a healthcare provider delivering services to rural and remote Queensland to people who would not usually seek healthcare, it is important for us to have the right staff supporting our clients. A Care Support Worker with experience in remote service delivery and support has been second to none. Rachael has been a fantastic fit for our team and we have received so many compliments from our clients. The process of working with the Rural LAP team has been easy — reassuring and supportive.” Sarah – General Manager Community Services, NWRH.

Rachael’s experience in working in diverse settings, from community healthcare to aged care facilities, allowed her to adapt quickly to NWRH’s needs. She was welcomed by the staff and community who were appreciative of her efforts in supporting their in-home aged care services. Her connection with the residents has been complimented by NWRH residents in her care and they raved about how “she is just so nice and is wonderful to talk to”.

The Rural LAP Difference

The Rural LAP team work closely with healthcare providers to ensure the locums are well-prepared to meet the specific needs of their placements. This also helps to ensure that the right locum is being sent to the right placement. Rural LAP reduces the administrative burden on the healthcare service by recruiting for the locum then completing all credentialing, onboarding, arranging contracts, and organising and paying for travel and accommodation. The healthcare service is only responsible for submitting a request and paying for salary, superannuation and any applicable taxes.

For NWRH this was a game-changer. With Rural LAP's support, they no longer had to make rushed hiring decisions or compromise the quality of care due to staffing shortages.

Success with Rural LAP

The success NWRH has had with Rural LAP reflects the broader impact that the program is having on aged care and healthcare services in rural and remote Australia. Rural LAP helps bridge the gap between the growing demand for healthcare services and the limited availability of skilled professionals in these regions.

In addition to offering support during staff leave, Rural LAP fosters long-term relationships between healthcare providers and locum professionals. Rachael’s positive experiences, both personally and professionally, highlight the rewarding nature of working in rural healthcare and the difference it can make in the lives of both staff and residents.

Rachael said, “Locum work is the best thing I have done in my life. It is a rewarding job. I have met so many new friends along the way. I have been welcomed open arms in Mt Isa every contract”.

For more information about Rural LAP and how it can benefit your organisation, visit www.rurallap.com.au.

^{*vacant positions are only covered as part of our Aged Care service.}