RACGP advocacy
RACGP advocacy has been in full swing this month to highlight necessary reforms in the lead-up to the first National Cabinet meeting and the 2023 federal budget.
We’ve been doing significant work nationally to mitigate the impact of state-based payroll tax on general practice operating models. The Queensland Revenue Office recently clarified the state’s position, and adjacent industries have had their models tested in court. The RACGP has developed resources and advocacy packs for GPs, practices and patients. We also held a webinar that I encourage you to catch up on if you weren’t able to attend.
We continue to push our message of investment in patient care through general practice and adequate funding to effectively implement the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce recommendations. The RACGP has cautiously welcomed many measures in the latest taskforce the report, but warns that greater reform is needed to secure the future of general practice care. We’ll continue to advocate for a variety of possible models to support the critical role of GPs as the coordinator of patient care.
We’re your CPD home
Like many of you, I’ve been planning my year of conference attendance and CPD with the RACGP. I encourage you to attend upcoming RACGP events and look forward to meeting many of you in person and online at these gatherings.
Join us at the Practice Owners National Conference in Adelaide from 20–21 May and the 2023 WONCA World Conference in Sydney in October (the RACGP is hosting).
Our faculty has a full calendar of events and education for rural and remote GPs planned, including:
Boosting the rural workforce
Now that GP training has officially returned to the RACGP, I’m proud to share our progress towards implementing a national approach to rural training, including new developments in the Rural Generalist Fellowship (RG) program.
We've implemented policy changes to increase training model flexibility:
- General pathway registrars can opt into the RG without changing to the rural pathway.
- We’re supporting training in a single rural location with alternative avenues to achieve against all facets of practice diversity.
- We’ve implemented nationally consistent financial support for Additional Rural Skills Training.
We’ve reduced barriers to entry and completion of RG training:
- We’ve removed the RG application fee for AGPT registrars.
- Applicants can apply directly for RG entry in their AGPT application.
- We’ve implemented a new Training Management System to track all RG training requirements.
We’ve been building strong RG sector partnerships:
- We’ve increased our stakeholder engagement and marketing campaigns.
- We’ve established university partnerships, including 19 university departments of rural health.
- We’re attending regular collaboration meetings and working groups: Rural Generalist Coordination Units, ACRRM, workforce strategies, non-GP specialist colleges to support ARST.
Assoc Prof Michael Clements
Chair, RACGP Rural
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