Date set for school

LA TROBE University hopes to have its new Northern Victorian School of Rural Health operational by 2011.Work will start on the school in Bendigo’s health education precinct in August, after the Federal Government last night committed $59.6 million to the project.The school will see about 780 students studying three to four-year courses annually, with about 200 graduating each year.Courses will be offered in a range of health fields, including nursing, physiotherapy, podiatry, speech pathology and paramedics.Sixty academic and support staff will also be employed, with recruitment to start almost immediately.La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Paul Johnson said last night the funding was “fantastic recognition by the Federal Government” of the university’s plan for regional health education. He said the aim was to strengthen regional health by increasing the number of health professionals.“It’s a tremendous vote by the Government in the vision we have for La Trobe to integrate into the community,” Mr Johnson said. “Given the ageing population, it’s more and more important we have people on the ground, not just in metropolitan areas or hospitals, but out in the community providing detailed health care.“We are extremely grateful for the support from the Bendigo community, local federal member Steve Gibbons, from Bendigo Health and from the Victorian Government.“It has been a joint effort . . . we are all committed to delivering better health to people.”