THE closure of the RMIT University nursing course in Sale could have a devastating impact on nursing resources in the Wellington shire, according to Gippsland South MLA Peter Ryan.
RMIT announced plans to "consolidate its nursing programs'' last week and will no longer accept new nursing students at the Sale campus from next year.
RMIT has been using the East Gippsland TAFE facilities in Fulham as a base for teaching its nursing degree.
The 40 students currently enrolled in the course will either relocate to Churchill or Melbourne to finish their studies or, ideally, finish them at Fulham.
Mr Ryan said the decision was a huge blow for the region and he was worried about the impact the decision would have on nursing resources in the area.
"This is very disappointing for the nursing students and for the entire Gippsland region,'' he said.
"I believe RMIT should review its decision.
"Our hospitals are already struggling to cope with current demand and have trouble attracting and retaining qualified doctors and nursing staff.
"To lose this course from the Sale area which is already desperate to train and develop its own doctors and nurses is most disappointing.''
Mr Ryan said the cancellation of the nursing course in Sale was compounded by the Federal Government's recent changes to Youth Allowance which he said would force many students to either give up plans to attend university or defer so they can work for a minimum of 18 months to qualify for Youth Allowance.
"To take away a course which is currently training more than 40 nurses, who are to stay and work within Sale and East Gippsland region once they have completed their degrees, is a blow to our local tertiary resources and a real setback for the students who are directly affected,'' he said.
Gippsland East MLA Craig Ingram has also joined the call for the decision to be reviewed.
"This is a vitally important course providing highly skilled nursing professionals for our health system and any reduction in access to this study course will certainly have an impact on future health care in the Gippsland region,'' he said.
"I have written to the State Government requesting intervention with RMIT University to explore all avenues to ensure that this important training facility is retained locally.''
RMIT College of Science, Engineering and Health pro vice-chancellor Professor Peter Coloe said Monash University was planning to expand to Sale.
"The campus through the Gippsland Medical School (GMS) is planning to have a stronger presence in the town of Sale, with the construction of expanded learning facilities at the site of the local hospital,'' he said.
"The project is a collaboration between the Central Gippsland Health Service, the GMS and the East Gippsland Regional Clinical School and clearly demonstrates the commitment of the campus to the region.
"With the development of the GMS initiative in Sale, there may be opportunities to develop a Monash nursing presence in the town.''
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