The health of rural patients was brought to the fore when farmers fronted up for free health checks with rural doctors and students at BEEF 2021.
Rural Doctors Foundation teamed up with student doctors from University of Queensland Rural Clinical School to offer the checks.
Rural Doctors Foundation completed 86 health screening checks – about the same number of checks they completed at BEEF 2018. Those in the 56 to 65–year–old age group being most represented.
Foundation Chair, Dr Dan Halliday, said it was heartening to see people taking the initiative to have a health check while at BEEF 2021.
“People were happy to engage in conversation on better health for themselves and their families. It is clear many want to stay on the farms and close to their families. Rural Doctors Foundation wants to support this direction as much as possible,” he said.
Dr Halliday said the capture of health information and networking opportunities at BEEF 2021 were invaluable to our work in improving rural health. “The Health Survey gauges the feelings of rural communities on access to healthcare. Attitudes on primary care, the effects of recent natural disasters and COVID–19 on health care access will be explored to inform future models of care,” he said.
“Along with engagement from people from rural communities, it was great to see the value of Rural Doctors Foundation recognised by prominent rural figures, politicians and corporates. We hope to build on these relationships to improve health access to rural and remote communities.”
Bush patients eager for better rural health
