Desperately Seeking Doctors

Desperately Seeking Doctors: The Kimberley

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Desperately Seeking Doctors

The Kimberley

Season 1 | Episode 1 | SBS | May 15, 2016

Health and PE

Geography

Intercultural Understanding

Personal and social capability

Classification: Parental Guidance

Three years ago, feisty and outspoken Scottish GP Dr Mary Fortune answered an urgent call to help ease the shortage of doctors in regional Western Australia. Her brief encounter with Aboriginal health touched a nerve. So now she's back for a three month stint in an Aboriginal health service in Kununurra in the remote rugged and scenic North West of Australia. Dealing with upwards of 120 patients a day, Dr Mary is thrown into the deep end of the health crisis facing the Kimberley.

Overview

Three years ago, feisty and outspoken Scottish GP Dr Mary Fortune answered an urgent call to help ease the shortage of doctors in regional Western Australia. Her brief encounter with Aboriginal health touched a nerve. So now she's back for a three month stint in an Aboriginal health service in Kununurra in the remote rugged and scenic North West of Australia. Dealing with upwards of 120 patients a day, Dr Mary is thrown into the deep end of the health crisis facing the Kimberley.

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More from this series

More than half way through Dr Mary Fortune's secondment, an Australian general election is called. Dr Mary hopes this could lead to a new dawn in indigenous health funding but the signs aren't good. As her time in Kununurra continues, Dr Mary becomes aware of the prominent role alcohol plays in her patient's lives. With a rising tide of alcohol-related illness and violence, and dwindling resources, Dr Mary finds out how hard it can be just to get one man a place in rehab.

Desperately Seeking Doctors: Out Of The Frying Pan

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More than half way through Dr Mary Fortune's secondment, an Australian general election is called. Dr Mary hopes this could lead to a new dawn in indigenous health funding but the signs aren't good. As her time in Kununurra continues, Dr Mary becomes aware of the prominent role alcohol plays in her patient's lives. With a rising tide of alcohol-related illness and violence, and dwindling resources, Dr Mary finds out how hard it can be just to get one man a place in rehab.

Having left Kalgoorlie to help Dallwallinu's only doctor, Dr Mary finds herself busier than she had ever expected. Although stipulating in her contract that she would not work 24/7, she realises that without adequate support, a contract in the bush can be very difficult to enforce.

Desperately Seeking Doctors: Unexpected Territory

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Having left Kalgoorlie to help Dallwallinu's only doctor, Dr Mary finds herself busier than she had ever expected. Although stipulating in her contract that she would not work 24/7, she realises that without adequate support, a contract in the bush can be very difficult to enforce.

For the residents and councils of many rural Australian communities, maintaining a reliable health care service is a constant challenge. Despite extensive domestic and international recruitment campaigns, doctors are leaving some rural communities faster than they can be replaced. Earlier this year the Federal Health Minister said the rural health system in Australia was 'a dire state of affairs', and promised a complete overhaul of workforce incentives and programs. But when the Government announced its budget allocation a few weeks later, it was met with a disappointed response from both the Australian Medical Association and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia. Desperately Seeking Doctors is a three part documentary series which reveals the personal stories behind the doctors' crisis in Australia.

Desperately Seeking Doctors: Unfamiliar Territory

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For the residents and councils of many rural Australian communities, maintaining a reliable health care service is a constant challenge. Despite extensive domestic and international recruitment campaigns, doctors are leaving some rural communities faster than they can be replaced. Earlier this year the Federal Health Minister said the rural health system in Australia was 'a dire state of affairs', and promised a complete overhaul of workforce incentives and programs. But when the Government announced its budget allocation a few weeks later, it was met with a disappointed response from both the Australian Medical Association and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia. Desperately Seeking Doctors is a three part documentary series which reveals the personal stories behind the doctors' crisis in Australia.

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