Rural Doctors Network supports members, as rural communities face fuel uncertainty

Australia is experiencing an increase in fuel prices in the wake of the Middle East conflict. Rural and regional areas are facing the brunt of uncertainty, as National Cabinet meet today to discuss fuel security.

Rural communities are particularly vulnerable to shortages, with fuel being the lifeblood of agriculture and healthcare leaning heavily on aviation. Some regional GPs have already reported a renewed increase in telehealth use, driven partly by fuel prices, with others concerned about growing reduced access to care and patients cancelling or delaying appointments due to the cost of travel.

With many rural health services in NSW relying on outreach services with drivein/driveout models or flyin/flyout outreach models, community nurses, midwives and allied health workers can often travel hundreds of kilometres to see patients.

Amid the uncertainty, Rural Doctors Network would like to remind our members of their eligibility for fuel discounts. Practice or business owners can access 7 cents off per litre of petrol, thanks to our supportive partners at Shell.

Membership is free and available to all community members with an interest in rural health.

Apply for RDN Membership here.

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Related news: RACGP, RDAA and ACRRM respond to rising fuel impacts

RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements said “a large proportion of our remote health services rely on drive-in, drive-out or fly-in, fly-out models of care,” noting also the strain on patients in his community: “One farmer said they need 60,000 litres of fuel to plant the harvest, and if they don’t plant the harvest then they have no income at all, and so they have to try and source the fuel,” he said in this RACGP News article on the fuel shortage.

Rural Doctors Association of Australia president and remote generalist, Dr Sarah Chalmers, told The Medical Republic last week that fuel underpins the ability to run Outreach clinics, deliver medications and operate air retrieval services.

Meanwhile, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACCRM) met last Wednesday with ministers, Departmental officials and regional MPs in Canberra to discuss the issue. ACRRM says it will continue to advocate for practical solutions and contingency planning. Read more.

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