Outreach-RHOF-new

The RHOF can assist with funding to support new services, as well as expand established visiting outreach health services. This fund provides a flexible funding pool to support health professionals in delivering healthcare services in outreach locations by providing funding support to cover the costs of travel, accommodation, meals and other associated expenditure. Outreach funds cannot cover the cost of a salary – Medicare billing should be claimed where possible. The RHOF also supports cultural training for outreach service providers and encourages providers to offer upskilling activities at outreach locations.

The Department of Health uses the Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2019 classification system to determine eligibility for service locations across Australia. Services supported through the RHOF are delivered in MM 3 (large rural towns) to MM 7 (very remote communities). There is an emphasised need to fill in gaps within the following health priorities:

• • Maternity and Paediatric Health
  • Eye Health
  • Mental Health
  • Support for chronic disease management, including chronic pain management

• Specialist medical services
• Allied health services
• Midwife and nursing services
• Combinations of eligible services (i.e. multidisciplinary teams)
• Outreach GP services, including support for female GPs to provide outreach services to broaden the health service choices available to rural women
• Administration and coordination of the above services
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• Rural Health Outreach Fund Service Delivery Standards
• Rural Health Outreach Fund Service Needs Assessment Report – July 2022