Congratulations to our colleagues at the Rural Locum Assistance Program (Rural LAP), who celebrated the 10,000th placement of a health professional since the program began in 2011.

Yorke Peninsula-based Registered Nurse Carmel Short will undertake the landmark placement at Roxby Downs Health Service in South Australia. 

Rural LAP National Manager Jessica Andrew said, “We extend our gratitude to all the health professionals and clinics who have supported this program since 2011. Working in remote and rural locations across our beautiful country has its clear advantages.

“However, without dedicated locums like Carmel, her peers cannot get the downtime and training they need to provide the best service possible to their patients.”

Roxby Downs Health Service is part of the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network and is situated approximately 250kms north of Port Augusta. The facility has an accident and emergency service and general medical services. Over the past decade, the health professionals at the facility have been supported by 69 Rural LAP placements.

Janine Connell, Director of Nursing at Roxby Downs Health Service said, “We have great difficulty attracting suitably qualified staff to the remote setting, so following on from that, being able to release our staff for leave and particularly professional development leave is particularly challenging. Rural LAP has made this so much easier for us.

"The process of booking staff for locum placements is seamless and reliable and the quality of staff coming here from Rural LAP is fantastic.”