A lack of childcare services in rural and remote communities is discouraging more doctors and other health professionals from moving to the bush, and making it harder to keep existing rural health professionals there according to the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA).

Ahead of the federal election, the peak body is joining the push for more childcare places in smaller towns, such as those across the western plains of New South Wales.

The RDAA's efforts have been backed by the release of their Position Paper, Childcare in Rural and Remote Australia,

RDAA President Dr RT Lewandowski said there is an urgent need to boost childcare services in rural and remote towns for local doctors, health and other professionals, to support them to stay in those towns and help encourage more of their peers to ‘go rural’ too.

RDAA President Dr RT Lewandowsk - Image RDAA

“Access to quality childcare and early learning is a critical issue for all families in rural and remote Australia…and rural doctors and other health professionals are not immune,” said Dr Lewandowski.

“Not being able to access childcare makes a big difference to the number of hours a doctor or other rural health professional can work to provide health services in their community.

“In some cases, the lack of childcare in their rural town means a doctor must leave that community for a larger centre with more childcare options, and it discourages other doctors from moving to the community.

“The availability of childcare in rural and remote towns – from early childhood right through to high school – is critical in supporting the recruitment and retention of doctors and other health professionals in the bush.”

Bogan Shire General Manager Derek Francis - Image Western Plains App

Bogan Shire General Manager Derek Francis strongly agrees with the RDAA and is hoping the RDAA push will assist to expediate both federal and state governments to take action to increase childcare places in rural areas.

“Though our Early Learning Centre is able to care for babies through to the start of primary school during the day, there is a huge gap in Before and After School Care in our community for primary school age children,” said Mr Francis.

“Local Member Roy Butler has recently written to the Minister for Education and Early Learning to highlight this deficiency.

“Bogan Shire Council has been lobbying the NSW Government about this crucial issue since 2020 with no result.

"Having had conversations with prospective doctors for the Bogan Shire Medical Centre, I know this is a barrier for some to join our community.

"It also applies to employees of Aeris Tritton Mine and other employers as well,” Mr Francis said.

Kristi Martin Director of Cobar Pre-School with Georgia Boland and local Cobar kids - Image courtesy Cobar Weekly

Kristi Martin Director of Cobar Pre-School says childcare is absolutely a problem when it comes to attracting workers to the town, especially healthcare workers and miners on shift work or call.

“Cobar is a rural community where childcare especially for 0–2-year-olds is hard to obtain and would definitely be a big draw card on whether people will seek employment in Cobar, with the new early learning centre opening and offering a lot more spaces for 0-2 there is much more opportunity to get the employment positions filled in Cobar.”

According to an article in the Cobar Weekly, the recent opening of the Cobar Shire Council’s Early Learning Centre has made an additional 34 places available including 18 babies in the infants room, still though there is a long waiting list to get into the service which means parents can’t go back to work or those looking at jobs in the area will have to decline on the premise of lack of childcare.

"I would love to work in the bush or in rural areas but if I am not able to access childcare it just isn't feasible for my family which is so disappointing," said one recent rural graduate doctor who did not wish to be named.

"Getting childcare right in rural and remote communities can make a big difference to the range of health services that can be provided in those communities, including even basic access to local healthcare," said Dr Lewandowksi.

"We urge the major parties to commit to drive change in this critical area if elected to Government."