Many doctors leave rural areas for family and social reasons
rather than professional ones. Partners often struggle to develop a meaningful
role for themselves outside of the practice situation, and children's educational
needs are often not met. The health service cannot focus narrowly on the doctor
alone if the problems of rural health care are to be addressed.
Careful attention to the needs of the doctor as part of
a family unit will increase the probability that doctors will be attracted to
and stay in rural practice.
Strategies
These include:
3.5.1 The establishment of spouse and family networks such
as the Rural Medical Family Network in Australia.
3.5.2 Education regarding rural doctor/family relationships
and professional boundaries.
3.5.3 Education of communities on the needs of rural doctors
and their families.
3.5.4 Employment opportunities for doctors' spouses.
3.5.5 Suitable local education opportunities for doctors'
children or funding to facilitate education of the doctors' family at distant
centres and funding to visit family members undertaking such secondary or tertiary
education.
3.5.6 Funding to permit travel by the doctor and family
for recreation and other forms of leave.
3.5.7 Financial assistance with accommodation for the doctor
and family.