Country Health SA Scholarships

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, can you outline how the latest Country Health SA scholarships will support rural students and country-based health workers?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:59): I would like to thank the member for Giles for his question. In the 2015 annual scholarship round, Country Health SA has awarded 13 undergraduate and 12 postgraduate scholarships to students from regional South Australia and health employees who work in the country. These scholarships support the studies of country students who have chosen to work in health-related fields in regional areas.

The undergraduate scholarships assist regional communities by encouraging more country students to consider pursuing health careers in regional South Australia. They are offered to full-time students who are currently studying or about to start an undergraduate degree at university in an identified area of workforce shortage, such as physiotherapy or nursing. After graduation, recipients are required to work in a Country Health service for a term equal to the duration of scholarship funding awarded. These scholarships are an excellent way to support people from country areas who want to return to their home town after their city-based tertiary study. The 12 postgraduate scholarships for ongoing country-based health employees allow health professionals to further their studies and bring increased knowledge and innovation to our health service.

Since the scholarship scheme began in 1995, a total of 400 undergraduate scholarships and 330 postgraduate scholarships have been awarded and, over that period, Country Health SA has employed an estimated 300 scholarship recipients in rural locations after completing their study. Experience shows that, once graduates have had the opportunity to work in our Country Health services, they often stay on. During my country visits, many medical professionals have told me that country life is great, and I encourage more people to choose Country Health SA as an employer of choice. Of course, these scholarships are helping us fill areas of workforce shortage. I would like to—

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Didn't find it? I would like to acknowledge the work of our health advisory councils who provided local knowledge to the Country Health SA selection panel to help in the decision-making process. I wish all successful applicants the best in their studies and look forward to them playing a vital role in the provision of high quality rural health services into the future. Applications for the 2016 scholarship intake are expected to open in August 2015 and the list of current scholarship winners is available at countryhealthsa.sa.gov.au.