Two weeks ago, the Federal Human Rights Commissioner for Australia released a report detailing the growing problem in delivering adequate State, Federal and Local Government services to rural communities. The report picked out a number of key areas such as the lack of employment opportunities, education, youth services and health and human services. The problems are especially acute in the more remote rural communities where population levels are dropping as more and more people are moving to live in the Capital cities.
Rural communities share the same health problems as do urban ones.
Inpatients 400 Nursing Home type patients in hospital. Hospitalisation rates are also higher in the country. Together with the above factors there exist other significant issues in the provision of rural health. The rural population is ageing. Part of this process is the movement of retirees to attractive seaside or riverine locations from metropolitan and country areas.