Specialist numbers grow in rural WA, but major gaps in critical care remain in regional and remote areas

Only about 10 per cent of the specialists working in regional WA are based in the Mid West, covering less than half of surveyed specialties, according to a new report.

Despite the number of specialists working in rural areas in WA increasing in the past year, the Rural Health West survey highlights how regional and remote areas are still missing out on access to important health care.

It found that the number of medical specialists working in rural WA rose from 193 in 2023 to 205 in 2024 — making a 28 per cent rise over the past decade.

However, of those 205 specialists, only 21 were based in the Mid West, covering just 11 of the 23 medical specialities surveyed.

While the Mid West region has doctors — typically just two per speciality — in key areas such as anaesthetics, paediatrics, and psychiatry, it lacked specialists in several critical, life-saving fields, including radiation oncology, medical oncology, intensive care, and geriatric medicine.

Professor Catherine Elliot, chief executive officer of Rural Health West, expressed concerns for rural and remote communities and their lack of specialist care.

“While it’s encouraging to see slow and steady growth in the rural specialist workforce, the reality is that many rural and remote communities still have limited access to specialist care,” she said.

The survey showed that more than half (55.5 per cent) of the rural medical specialist workforce was employed by WA Country Health Services with only 31 respondents working in the private sector.

According to Prof. Elliot, there must be more support for private practices to ensure an effective long-term system outside of bigger cities.

“Equity for rural communities will only be achieved when both the public and private systems are supported to operate sustainably and collaboratively outside the metropolitan area,” she said.

Encouragingly, the survey showed the average length of stay for resident specialists in the Mid West is just under 10 years (9.7), slightly above the rural practice average of nine years, suggesting that a long-term stay has become more achievable for those in rural-based roles.

Prof. Elliot said the findings underpinned the urgent need to invest in rural training and specialist roles to address the rural health gap.

“Growing and retaining a stable rural specialist workforce is essential to addressing persistent health disparities in our regions,” she said.

“It’s not just about access — it’s about outcomes, equity, and supporting people to live well, close to home.”