The Federal Government has announced that from November, nurse practitioners and doctors who live and work in rural and remote Australia will have their HELP debt wiped.

The program is set to improve employment and retention of practitioners in rural and remote areas to remedy equity and access in these communities.

Under the program, a nurse practitioner or doctor who lives and works in:

• A remote or very remote town for a period of half the length of their course will have their entire HELP debt wiped.
• A large, medium or small rural town for a period equal to the whole length of their course will have their entire HELP debt wiped.
• An eligible place for a period of time equivalent to half the time required will be eligible to half the applicable debt reduction.

The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners says this new legislation makes sense for communities needing health care providers, as there are significant barriers to healthcare in rural and remote areas of Australia.

“Nurse Practitioners are highly skilled and experienced, and they are willing and ready to practice and provide high-quality care where it is most needed,” says Leanne Boase, ACNP President.

The new legislation could attract approximately 850 Nurse Practitioners and Doctors annually to remote and rural areas of Australia. But further work is underway to implement a Nurse Practitioner 10-Year Plan, which addresses workforce issues and delivery of nursing care to Australian communities.

“This current work may result in real benefits for the health care of Australians, in particular rural and remote communities.

“The HELP debt scheme will help nurse practitioners complete their training, and the 10-Year Plan will address barriers to practice, and the current issues for patients accessing health care.

“Together, the HELP Debt Scheme and the Nurse Practitioner 10 Year will mean that more NPs can practice in these areas of need, and this can only be considered a step in the right direction for Australians and their health care.” 

ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said this legislation was a step in the right direction, but she urges the Government to extend the measure to all Australian nurses.

“Every nurse everywhere plays an invaluable role in providing trusted, high-quality care to those in their local community.

“Nurses are often the first and sometimes the only health profession that Australians see.

“No nurse should be left behind when it comes to receiving a waiving of HECS debt, particularly after the service and sacrifices our profession has made throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We stepped up to help those who needed it most, leaving our families behind, working double shifts, working without pay, and often working in isolation, doing our civic duty for our nation.”