CRANAplus welcomes the announcement by the Government that it will establish a Commonwealth Prac Payment worth $319.50 a week to support nursing and midwifery students to undertake mandatory unpaid workplace placements.
The payment will be available from 1 July 2025, with further details to be released in the upcoming Budget.
The Prac Payment will allow more students to explore their interest in rural and remote nursing and midwifery, helping to grow the future workforce, CRANAplus CEO Linda Kensington says.
“This payment is a terrific outcome. It will assist nursing and midwifery students to experience remote health where previously this was financially impossible for many – or only possible at significant personal cost,” Ms Kensington says.
“The workforce benefits are significant. We know that students who undertake a placement in remote Australia are more likely to return as qualified nurses and midwives. Their experiences as students can also help them to thrive when they return as employees.”
Nursing and midwifery students undertaking placements in remote locations often have to travel thousands of kilometres, pay for their own accommodation, and contend with higher costs, limiting participation.
CRANAplus runs a scholarship program that provides assistance to students in these circumstances, but it is only able to support a small portion of eligible applicants every year.
“The Prac Payment is a welcome step, hopefully one of many towards a system where students who dream of working in remote Australia, where healthcare needs are greatest, find the road open to them,” Ms Kensington says.
“The payment will assist students to undertake remote placements by contributing to their costs, but urban placements will remain the more cost-effective option for most students.
“The other part of the equation is to create additional remote placement opportunities and to ensure they include structured support and supervision, preparation for culturally safe practice, and opportunities to work within a multidisciplinary team.
“We look forward to working with Government, health services and universities to support the roll-out of the Prac Payment. Looking even further forward, we stand ready to work with all stakeholders to make remote placements even more accessible to students.”
More about CRANAplus
CRANAplus (Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia +) is the peak professional body for the remote and isolated health workforce. Our not-for-profit, membership-based organisation provides education, mental health support, career support, and professional services to nurses, midwives, and other health professionals to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality primary healthcare to remote and isolated areas of Australia.
Media contact
Sam Richards
Communications & Membership Manager
(07) 4047 6446
communications@crana.org.au
