Providing services in remote and rural Australian communities

A needs analysis was conducted of people with disabilities living in remote and rural areas of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The nature of service provision generated the widest range of comments during data collections which were conducted through consultations, interviews, and field trips. This paper integrates issues raised in the literature about the nature of work in rural and remote areas with information gathered from service providers and consumers working in country areas of NSW. Clients or consumers (people with disabilities, their families, and care-providers) reported many negative encounters with services. Many service providers said that they were working under difficult conditions and felt that they did not obtain adequate support or recognition from their organizations. Many city-based agencies had given little attention to the appropriateness of their services within remote and rural areas. Other agencies were aware of deficits but were unclear as to how to address them. The article closes with a discussion of action-oriented strategies designed to address issues associated with the nature of work in Australian rural and remote areas.