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Increased medical specialist services to the Hume region of Victoria

People living in the Hume region of Victoria will benefit from $700,000 over two years for new specialist medical services, the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson, said today.

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30 May 2002

Increased medical specialist services to the Hume region of Victoria

People living in the Hume region of Victoria will benefit from $700,000 over two years for new specialist medical services, the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson, said today.

Senator Patterson said that the funding comes in addition to the $5.24 million that has already been approved for Victoria under the Commonwealth Government's Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program. Corryong, Tallangatta, Walwa, Mount Beauty, Yarrawonga, Bright, Myrtleford, Mansfield, Alexandra, Eildon, Marysville, Cobram, Nathalia and Numurkah are some of the locations to benefit from these new services.

"This funding will enhance the range and accessibility of specialist services to people living in the Hume region by assisting visiting specialists to travel to regional towns on a regular basis, bringing the services to the people who need them."

Senator Patterson said visiting specialist services will include general medicine and general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, geriatrics, paediatrics, psychiatry, dermatology and urology.

"In addition to providing specialist medical services, the visiting specialists will provide education, training and liaison support for local specialists and GPs," she said.

The Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program helps bring specialist services closer to home for people living outside the major metropolitan areas. It is part of the Federal Government's $562 million Regional Health Strategy: More Doctors, Better Services which is designed to deliver improved health services for country Australia.

Media Contact: Marnie Gaffney, Senator Patterson's Office: 03 9657 9577