Medicare rebates to be reduced for non-VR doctors within five years The Federal Government is changing Medicare rebates for non-vocationally registered doctors who provide general practice services in a bid to encourage more to achieve Fellowship of the RACGP or ACRRM, and more doctors to work outside major cities.
Point-of-care testing vital for rural practices, says GP Point-of-care testing improves care for patients in rural areas, according to a rural GP. Now the RACGP will pilot the Standards for point of care testing in general practices.
Government reduction of visas for overseas GPs to save $400 million The Federal Government plans to slash 800 visas for overseas GPs over four years, a move it says will save more than $400 million from the health budget through reduced billing.
New RACGP program to support non-vocationally registered doctors gain Fellowship More than 3000 non-vocationally registered GPs will be supported to attain Fellowship of the RACGP, following confirmation of funding in this year’s Federal Budget.
Students say no to more Australian medical schools Greater numbers of medical schools will increase pressure on existing students and will not tackle the real cause of the rural doctor shortage, the President of the Australian Medical Students’ Association told newsGP.
Prof Max Kamien appointed President of the Western Australian Medical Museum A prestigious career in general practice and a lifelong interest in medical history has contributed to Professor Kamien’s selection as President.
Minimising risk for GPs providing medical clearances How can GPs ensure they are safeguarded against any potential risks when approached by a patient seeking medical clearance?
Chief Medical Officer warns on spread of multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea With two cases of multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea recently detected, the Federal Government has released a health alert and information to assist healthcare professionals identify and prevent spreading of the disease.
Calls for greater awareness of context in guidelines for doctor–patient boundaries The RACGP wants more clarity in the Medical Board of Australia’s proposed new guidelines on personal doctor–patient relationships.
RACGP President expresses concerns about changes to register of practitioners Dr Bastian Seidel does not believe the Medical Board of Australia’s changes to the register strike the right balance between patient safety and practitioner privacy.