Many small, rural and remote communities in Australia experience a shortage of health workers, high levels of staff turnover and significant problems in recruiting new health workers. Measures which retain existing health workers by slowing the ‘separation’ rate and attracting back some who have left the health workforce provide an important opportunity to increase workforce numbers.

Some reports claim the provision of effective ongoing education and training may improve retention and lower turnover rates of health workers in small rural and remote communities.
This study examines the contribution of continuing professional development (CPD/CPE) to enhancing workplace attractiveness and improving retention of primary health care workers in small rural and remote communities, the best way of providing effective education and training, and the costs and benefits associated with providing education and training.