Federal Government action on a damning report into the safety of remote area nurses is likely to be delayed until at least May — 14 months after the murder of South Australian nurse Gayle Woodford. A report released in January backed demands by outback nurses that they only attend consultations and emergency call-outs in pairs or with an escort. The Federal Government-funded report also warned that some remote health professionals were living in unsecure accommodation and lacked access to reliable emergency radios or satellite phones. Health Department officials who appeared before a Senate committee last week said they would have a “close look” at the report and it would be considered at a rural health “roundtable” meeting in May.
