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IMG expedited pathway gets greenlight


Michelle Wisbey


15/10/2024 1:16:40 PM

The fast-track program has cleared its final hurdle for a 21 October start date following approval from Australia’s health ministers, but it has left the RACGP fuming.

Doctor looking at forms.
The new expedited specialist pathway aims to entice more medical specialists to work in Australia to address a significant maldistribution of doctors.

A controversial plan to fast-track registrations for overseas-trained GPs has passed its final test after receiving the tick of approval from the nation’s health ministers.
 
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) announced on Tuesday that the final approval will allow its new expedited pathway for GPs from three overseas locations to launch as planned on 21 October.
 
AHPRA says the ministers’ decision ‘paves the way’ for a range of reforms impacting specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs).
 
As of Monday, SIMGs able to apply include those with a recent Irish College of General Practitioners or Royal College of General Practitioners membership, or a Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.
 
But with less than one week until the new expedited pathway opens for registration for those eligible specialists, the RACGP has once again raised significant concerns about its lack of detail.
 
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins told newsGP the responsibility for any consequences or adverse outcomes from the new pathway ‘now lays firmly at the health ministers’ feet’.
 
‘This is a political decision – the RACGP was already getting large numbers through quickly and above the targets set by AHPRA,’ she said.
 
‘The onus is now on AHPRA and the Government to make sure these doctors are supported and safe.
 
‘There are issues around communication, knowledge, and professionalism, and we want to make sure those doctors have the extra support required for their own wellbeing and also for their patients.’
 
Under AHPRA’s plan, eligible doctors will soon be recognised for their overseas qualifications and granted upfront registration to work in Australia.
 
Its aim is to entice more medical specialists to work in the country as Australia continues to battle a significant maldistribution of doctors.
 
‘It is designed to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers and increase the number of SIMGs seeing patients in Australia, while maintaining high standards,’ says AHPRA.
 
With GPs leading the way, those with specialist qualifications in anaesthetics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and psychiatry will be added to the accepted list in December 2024.
 
The next cohort of specialists to become eligible for the pathway is yet to be revealed and will be ‘based on workforce priorities’.
 
The health ministers’ decision comes despite RACGP data showing that one in five overseas-trained doctors require extra education and professional support, despite their qualifications being substantially comparable on paper to those of Australian GPs.
 
The college has long called on AHPRA to pause the new pathway’s rollout, saying it holds ‘deep concerns’ about its readiness and felt ‘blindsided’ by its initial launch.
 
Medical colleges, including the RACGP, have been responsible for assessing suitability to practice in Australia since 2005.
 
And with the program’s most significant shake-up in two decades now just days away, Dr Higgins said she has been left with a long list of unanswered questions and a lack of detail.
 
‘The whole process has felt very disrespectful of the medical colleges, especially the RACGP and ACRRM who engaged in good faith and were already delivering above and beyond the requirements of AHPRA,’ she said.
 
‘We strongly advised AHPRA and all health ministers about the pitfalls and the risks.
 
‘We called for them to work with the colleges to reduce their own red tape to provide a better experience for internationally qualified doctors coming into the country.’
 
AHPRA is adamant it has created a ‘rigorous qualifications assessment process’ to underpin its new expedited specialist pathway, saying there are additional checks and balances in place to make sure new doctors coming to Australia are safe to practice. 
 
Approved doctors must meet the same registration standards as all other specialists, as well as being supervised for six months by an Australian-registered specialist, have an orientation to Australia’s health system, and complete mandatory cultural safety education.
 
A national Medical Board committee, made up of doctors and community members, will make all registration decisions about individuals on the expedited specialist pathway.
 
Dr Higgins has instead called on the Federal Government to fund more training for Australian-educated doctors to become GPs.
 
‘By 2033 we’ll be importing more GPs than we’re training, and in 2025, we’ve got more doctors wanting to be GPs than we’ve got funded training places,’ she said.
 
‘The onus is on the Government to fund those training places and also to increase those medical school places that focus on training more GPs.’
 
The current specialist pathway to registration will continue for SIMGs who are not eligible for the new pathway, and this will continue to involve an individual college assessment.
 
Transition arrangements are also in place for SIMGs on the specialist pathway who are eligible for the expedited specialist pathway, and the registration standard is now available online.
 
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AHPRA Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency GP workforce IMGs international medical graduates


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Dr Prathibha Elizabeth Ann Jose   16/10/2024 12:28:32 PM

I think RACGP should welcome this news which will fill the vaccancies of GPs in remote and rural areas. APHRA has put in sufficient regulations to make sure the doctors who come in through this pathway are supported and safe.


Dr Richard William Try   16/10/2024 4:53:18 PM

This very welcome news - I don’t understand why the RACGP is against it. There is a shortage of GPs, esp rural, and highly skilled GPs from the UK and Ireland will be very welcome! I trained in the UK and have been working in rural and regional Australia for 16yrs - we’re not a danger!

The impression given is that the RACGP is anti- IMG. Why the prejudice?


Dr Abdul Ahad Khan   16/10/2024 8:36:36 PM

Richard, RACGP is against it, because they have been over-ruled & ignored by AHPRA & RIGHTLY SO.
It is Time for RACGP to dissolve & fold away - they have never been the Champions of us GPs at the Coalface - they are only interested in the Survival of the Empire - an ICE CASTLE that they have built - which is now in the throes of melting away !
DR. AHAD KHAN


anonymous   16/10/2024 10:02:05 PM

Knowledge, skill, experience and training level of MRCGP from UK is not at par with FRACGP(Australia). There must be many FRCGPs waiting in UK for opportunities in Australia. AHPRA should fast track FRCGPs, not MRCGP from UK.
Give more incentives to Australian trained GPs to work in rural and remote areas, they will come to work there.


Dr Farid Zaer   18/10/2024 8:26:38 AM

Shame on the RACGP for having hundreds of doctors as non-VR, giving them 6 attempts and asking for thousands of dollars after failing them 5 times, and passing them on the 6th attempt. if you fail the vast majority of legitimate immigrant doctors who are citizens of this country, you leave the government with NO choices but to take drastic action like this. We sat with you, we broke bread with you, we attended conference after conference, we ran workshops and spent time amongst you, but your "dirty politics" has lead you this. The UK and Irish doctors have it bad in their countries due to the NHS, Australia is a better choice, and you the RACGP let this one slip. Shame on you RACGP.


Dr Johanna Maria Kovats   19/10/2024 1:21:18 PM

I would rather a Dr with years of training to make a diagnosis through history taking , examination and investigation - from any country -than the Chemist with a few hours of ‘training’ making a ‘diagnosis’ and then treating from a protocol .
Our colleges have allowed the politicians to be hoodwinked into thinking that outsourcing what we do as General Practitioners / Primary care Physicians / Family Physicians is the solution to , preventing illness , treating illness , reducing ED presentations etc
I remember a Kenyan saying-
Doctors diagnose , pharmacists dispense and God cures !
Of course we need a standard and cultural training but currently the process has been too complex or unattractive for the local grads and IMGs to negotiate and in my opinion ANY Dr is better than NO doctor and a BAD doctor can be ‘ counselled ‘ .


anonymous   19/10/2024 7:25:38 PM

You are right Farid. Not only RACGP, ACRRM has also failed many. GPs learn by experience and training. Very stiff exam standard is not required for GPs as they are helped by specialists from various fields. Australian Government can easily train Australian doctors for filling the gap.
Fast tracked GPs from overseas can complete their 10 years moratorium in 5 years if they work in MMM7 . Others will also complete it in less than 10 years if they work in other rural and remote areas. After that they will be happy doing part-time GP in big cities. Scarcity will remain. Government should think in long term.
Give A1 rebate to Australian medical graduates without fellowship for working in rural and remote areas, they will be happy to work there.


Dr MS   2/11/2024 1:40:46 PM

As a GP registrar, I feel there is no point bringing more doctors from overseas. This year many local GP trainees didn’t get a call for the training post in the 1st round. I think more incentives and funds for up skilling for locally trained registrar will attract many into the rural areas.