A $969,286 Federal Government investment in the South-East NSW Regional Training Hub at Goulburn and Bega will support rural health training and create jobs, Member for Hume Angus Taylor says.

Mr Taylor said work was progressing on the establishment of the South-East NSW Regional Training Hub which will provide young doctors the ability to study, work and live in Goulburn and Bega.

“The Coalition Government initiative supports high quality rural placements for health students from across Australia, to help ensure rural communities have access to doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in the future,” Mr Taylor said.

“Supporting rural health training is an important way to address rural health workforce shortages.

“This initiative will also create more jobs for clinicians and professional staff in these regions, and investments like Regional Training Hubs are essential to the health workforce of our regional areas like Goulburn in my electorate, and Bega.”

He said the Australian National University (ANU) would receive initial funding of $969,286 through the Integrated Rural Training Pipeline (IRTP) for Medicine for the Hub to 31 December 2018.

Mr Taylor said the ANU would focus on addressing gaps at the early stages of medical training.

“The Australian National University has signed on to the project, and is meeting with local health and medical providers about this new program,” he said.

“The Bega and Goulburn Hubs will work with healthcare providers, specialist colleges and local health authorities to develop training pathways for our future doctors.”

The Coalition Government has identified a lack of connectivity between the various stages of medical training as a key factor in why medical graduates with an interest in practising rurally have been lost to the cities.

“The Integrated Rural Training Pipeline will help to address this long standing disconnect,” Mr Taylor said.

“The IRTP will provide greater opportunities for graduates interested in rural careers to maintain connections to rural communities while they complete post graduate training.”

The Goulburn and Bega Hub is one of 26 regional training hubs Australia-wide.