title: Globalisation, rural restructuring and health service delivery in Australia: policy failure and the role of social work?
abstract: The impacts of globalisation and rural restructuring on health service delivery in rural Australia have been significant. In the present paper, it is argued that declining health service access represents a failure of policy. Rural communities across the world are in a state of flux, and Australia is no different: rural communities are ageing at faster rates than urban communities and young people are out-migrating in large numbers. During the past 5 years, rural Australia has also experienced a severe and widespread drought that has exacerbated rural poverty, and impacted on the health and well-being of rural Australians. Australian governments have responded to globalising forces by introducing neoliberal policy initiatives favouring market solutions and championing the need for self-reliance among citizens. The result for rural Australia has been a withdrawal of services at a time of increased need. This paper addresses the social work response to these changes.
authors: Centre for Rural Social Research, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. malston@csu.edu.au
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Alston
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003132:Commerce / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*