New financial year update

We’re off to the start of a new financial year and we’d like to remind you of the claim eligibility criteria for the Rural Procedural Grants Program (RPGP). Funding has now been reset for the new financial year and you can access that funding for eligible education completed from 1 July 2023.
 
You can submit claims via Make a Claim for current and previous financial years only. Starting from 1 July 2023, we’re no longer accepting claims for the 2021–22 financial year. However, if the eligibility criteria was met at the time, you’ll still be able to submit claims for the 2022–23 financial year until mid-June 2024.
 
Please ensure you include all relevant documents when claiming so that your claims can be reviewed and processed promptly.
 
Our dedicated team will be working diligently to expedite the processing of your claims, and we sincerely appreciate your patience.

Help spread the word about RPGP

Do you work with anyone who may be eligible for RPGP?

Some rural GPs may not be aware of the program, even though they have been eligible for many years. If you believe that any of your colleagues meet the program’s eligibility criteria, we would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word about this fantastic opportunity. With RPGP funding they can:

• Maintain and update current skill levels
• Ensure they have the skills to provide high-quality services to the community
• Partially subsidise the costs of attending approved activities.

 
Visit the RACGP website  for more information.
 
You can also reach our team at rural.procedural.grants@racgp.org.au or 1800 636 764.

Grant limits

RPGP helps cover the cost of professional development for GPs who provide procedural and/or emergency medicine services in unsupervised settings in rural and remote areas. Here are the grant limits for the respective categories:
 
Emergency

• $2,000 per day for up to three days of face-to-face training per financial year.
• $1,000 per day for up to three days of online training until 31 December 2023.
• A grant of $2,000 per day for an additional three days per financial year for emergency mental health training. Online training in emergency mental health will be eligible for a $1,000 per day for up to three days per financial year.

• $2,000 per day for up to 10 days of face-to-face training per financial year.
• $1,000 per day for up to 10 days of online training until 31 December 2023.

Online activities claimed count toward the total $20,000 cap each financial year. 

Currently, online claiming arrangements are due to end 31 December 2023.

Claiming in the 2023–24 financial year

Locum participants
 
The current locum policy states that we cannot approve a locum’s grant claim until after they have completed your 28 days of locum work for the financial year. If you’re a locum, you’ll be entitled to the grant as long as you’re registered for the program. You’ll need to provide evidence of having completed the 28 days before your claim can be approved.
 
To maintain eligibility as a locum participant in 2023–24, please send the following documents to rural.procedural.grants@racgp.org.au

• A credentialing letter stating your unsupervised clinical privileges and scope of practice also the duration of this credentialing from one of the hospitals you attend. This isn’t required if your credentials on file are still current.

• A letter of employment stating the dates and locations of your placements and the services you’ve provided for the 2023–24 financial year. The services you provided must also indicate if you were on an on-call roster. 

This program is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health.