One of the strengths of the biennial National Rural Health Conference is its capacity to generate recommendations for action to improve policies and programs for rural and remote health. The recommendations play a key part in setting the rural and remote health sector's agenda for subsequent years. At the 14th Conference delegates were able to propose recommendations for action through the Sharing Shed, an on-line forum in which they could also make comments on existing proposals and vote for their favourites.
A Conference recommendations group, led by Tanya Lehmann, had access to all the recommendations proposed as well as comments on them and the number of votes for each - plus the Conference Twitter feed and the Keynote addresses. From these various sources the priority recommendations were produced reflecting the views of delegates from the various sources and presented to the Assistant Minister for Health on the final day.
The complete list of recommendations can be found in the Sharing Shed.
It is hoped this recommendations process will lead to action and policy change at various levels, including through advocacy for them by any individuals or organisations who support them.