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The government is investing in Australia’s health workforce by upskilling the nation’s nurses and midwives through a new $50.2 million scholarship.
The Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Programme will provide 1,850 postgraduate scholarships over four years for registered nurses and midwives to become nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives in primary and aged care settings.
The funding is part of government's commitment to strengthen the health workforce by upskilling professionals across the primary health care system, ensuring every Australian has access to quality, timely support. The programme will strengthen the health workforce in rural and remote communities by providing preference to scholarship applicants currently living or working in these areas.
Following a competitive grant round, the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) will manage the Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Programme. ACNP is the peak national organisation for nurse practitioners and is well placed to attract quality applicants and aid them in their study.
As a first step, ACNP will set up an advisory group to ensure the scholarships are awarded in the areas of most need, including rural and remote communities and to First Nations students.
This announcement builds on the government’s introduction of the Health Legislation Amendment (Removal of Requirement for a Collaborative Arrangement) Bill which removes barriers that prevent nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives from prescribing Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines and providing services under Medicare.
