Opposition attacks lack of rural nursing training

The Federal Opposition says it is not good enough that nurses are being asked to provide pregnancy care in rural areas without midwife training because of staff shortages.www.abc.net.au/rural/news

Labor's health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon says she agrees with rural nurses that a short course they are being offered is not sufficient.

She says Labor would provide more nurses with midwife training and more incentives for midwives to return to practice.

But Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed the concerns.

"Basically anything that's done under this Medicare item is done under the general supervision of the GP in question," he said.

"So we are relying, as I think we are entitled to, on the overall skill and competence of GPs, and I have no reason to doubt that."

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