People living with Diabetes T2 in Western NSW to benefit from funding

RDN is inviting expressions of interest rural health professionals to apply for scholarships, bursaries and study leave to enhance access to care for more than 11,500 people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Western and Far West NSW as part of the Care Partnership – Diabetes (CP-D) program.

Communities in Western and Far West NSW experience some of the highest rates of T2DM and associated health impacts. With health practitioner advice and support, people living with T2DM can experience a high quality of life by managing their diabetes well. For some, good management can even reverse the effects of this disease. 

Care Partnership – Diabetes program

$13.7 million in funding has been allocated to improve health outcomes for the 1 in 20 people living with T2DM in Western and Far Western NSW.

In addition to supporting the quality of health services patients can access, the CP-D will support local health practitioners to pursue further education to enhance skills and T2DM care provided in communities that have less access to specialised services than urban populations.

Supporting access to further training and education for health professionals in primary health and hospital services aims to enhance the level of care patients receive. It is expected this will support best practice diabetes management for the community and reduce diabetes-related complications and emergency department presentations. 

T2DM in Western and Far West NSW

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic lifestyle-related disease, a silent killer and a growing problem that affects more people in western NSW than in metropolitan areas, with those in the bush 40% more likely to die from it than the rest of the state.

Formerly a later-in-life chronic illness, T2DM is now being diagnosed at younger ages and often presenting as a more aggressive disease that can lead to life-threatening complications at an ever-younger age.

People in Western NSW are among the most vulnerable in the state for developing complications related to T2DM and Aboriginal members of the community are over-represented in living with the disease.  

However, a good quality of life, and even reversal of the disease for some, can be achieved when patients are supported by health practitioners to manage the disease well. 

To help combat this growing problem, the Care Partnership – Diabetes program is offering eligible health practitioners in Western and Far West NSW the opportunity to apply for scholarships, bursaries and study leave to support their professional development and care provided to people affected by T2DM.

Three types of funding are being offered:  

Scholarships: A payment up to $10,000 per year, for up to two years, toward the cost of completing a postgraduate course leading to a postgraduate qualification.

Bursaries: A payment up to $10,000 (maximum of $10,000 in total in one year) for professional development and upskilling course fees and associated accommodation and travel-related expenses.

Study leave: A payment to employers of health practitioners supporting up to 10 days of study leave for health practitioners undertaking education or training that responds to priority skill needs such as diabetes education and diabetes-related foot care. Ideally, CP-D support will match employers’ existing study leave arrangements.

Eligible applicants include doctors, nurses, allied health practitioners, dentists, Aboriginal health practitioners and workers who are pursuing skills related to type 2 diabetes care.

Health practitioners with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds are encouraged to apply for this opportunity. The CP-D partners value the lived experience of Aboriginal health professionals and their important contribution to delivering culturally safe and responsive care for communities in these regions.  

Eligibility

Please refer to the Western T2 Diabetes Scholarship Guidelines V3 for full eligibility or contact Leah Pascoe, CP-D’s Workforce Engagement Officer, for more information at lpascoe@nswrdn.com.au. 

Scholarships, bursaries and study leave supported through this initiative are jointly funded by the NSW Ministry of Health’s Collaborative Commissioning: Care Partnership – Diabetes program and the RDN Health Workforce Scholarship Program that is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Expressions of Interest

Interested health practitioners can explore this opportunity by completing a brief expression of interest form. EOIs close midnight 16 April.