31 Jan 2017 The Free Press, Kilmore, VIC (General News) STUDENTS across 25 Northern Victoria schools including Wallan and Seymour will soon have access to the health care they need thanks to the state governments Doctors in Secondary Schools program. Member for Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes said the Doctors in Secondary Schools program would commence from term one this year in some schools and be rolled out to others later this year and first term of 2018. Wallan and Seymour will have the program rolled out in Term 3 later this year. The Doctors in Secondary Schools program will enable students to access the support they need early on before health problems affect their studies, including referrals to specialists. The Australian-first program will help tackle barriers preventing young Victorians from accessing healthcare, such as concerns about confidentiality, cost and not knowing where to go. Fifty-one of the 100 participating schools are in country areas, where accessing healthcare can be particularly challenging. We know young people have some of the lowest GP attendance rates, meaning many are missing out on the vital healthcare they need, Ms Symes said. This innovative program will help address barriers preventing students in Northern Victoria from seeing a doctor. Students will be able to see a GP on-site and get on top of health problems early, including mental health issues. As is the case with all GPs in the community, doctors will decide whether students are mature enough to consent to treatment or whether parent or carer consent is needed. The health information of young people will be confidential and managed according to law. Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence