Victoria rural and remote health services
6-minute read
Key facts
- Living in rural and remote areas means access to health services can be more challenging.
- It is important to be familiar with health services in your area, to be able to get help when you need it.
- Telehealth allows remote video and phone contact with health practitioners.
- You may be eligible for travel and accommodation support for medical appointments.
Planning ahead
Regional and rural Victoria offers many lifestyle benefits to residents and visitors. Sometimes, it can be difficult to access health services when you live far away from the city. It is important to know where you can find health services, so you can get help when you or someone in your family needs it.
Almost 1 in 4 Victorians live in rural and regional areas. The state's biggest industries are agriculture including dairy, crops, wool, and manufacturing.
Rural Victorians experience more suicide, cancers, diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Country Victorians are also more likely to have airway diseases such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis than residents in the city.
What types of health services are available?
Victoria has five rural health regions with 70 public health services and hospitals. These include 6 bush nursing hospitals, 15 bush nursing centres, Aboriginal health services and community health services.
In rural and regional health services, doctors might not always be available in emergency situations and pharmacies might not be open. In these situations, highly trained rural and isolated registered nurses (RIPERNs) can look after your health needs, and can help you access important medicines.
Rural urgent care services provide help for accidents and emergencies. If you need urgent care, they will transfer you to a major hospital using a service called Adult Retrieval Victoria. The Royal Flying Doctor Service also has a range of services across the state, including dental clinics, eye care and speech therapy. Ambulance Victoria has emergency medical flights, which run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and cover rural areas.
Finding services and online support
The internet is a great source of information when searching for health services. There are many different websites with information, but it is very important to use reliable sources, such as healthdirect's service finder. Get to know the online support options, so you can prepare for your future health needs.
You can speak to a registered nurse over the phone, by calling NURSE-ON-CALL on 1300 60 60 24 — available any time of the day or night, 7 days a week.
If you are pregnant, or a parent of a young child and have a health question, the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby video call service allows you to speak face-to-face with a maternal child health nurse. Video call is a free service and is available from 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week (including public holidays).
Telehealth
Telehealth connects people in remote and rural areas with health professionals using video or phone. This can, in some situations, reduce your need to travel to an appointment.
My health record
My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information. This improves communication between your doctor, health services, specialists and hospitals. This can help people living in rural and remote areas, as you may have several health providers in different locations. This digital summary allows your important health information to be stored in one place, which is easily accessible to health care professionals.
Travelling to medical and health services
Travelling for medical services can be stressful and expensive, but you might be eligible for travel assistance through the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme.
Ambulance Victoria provides fee-for-service emergency medical transport, as well as non-emergency medical transport.
Travelling to hospital with a sick child can be difficult for the whole family. Ask your local health service or the hospital about what support or financial help may be available. You might also be able to get help for accommodation through Ronald McDonald House.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health
A range of health services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people is available in rural and remote parts of Victoria.
Mental health and wellbeing
People living and working in rural areas can have a lot more stress than those in the city. Sometimes they may need extra support. These stresses can include:
- loneliness and isolation
- financial hardship
- few employment opportunities
- natural disasters
If you need help to maintain your mental health and wellbeing, there is a range of support and services available to you:
- Victoria's mental health services
- women's mental health alliance
- farmer health
- headspace for young people
If you are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, Suicide Line provides 24-hour support across Victoria. Call 1300 651 251 to talk to a caring professional.
Farm and mining communities
Living and working in rural and remote areas involves certain risks. Accidents are common in farming communities, both for workers and children. With some planning, you can improve safety for yourself and others.
Emergency medical help
In a medical emergency, dial triple zero (000), and ask for an ambulance.
Resources and support
To find health services in Victoria, visit the following links:
- dental care
- Youth Central
- Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
- Seniors Online Victoria
- Carers VIC
- disability services
- Aboriginal health services
Further information
You can also call NURSE-ON-CALL on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available from 7 am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week (including public holidays).