News
In Practice: Rural training grants for GPs
Eligible GPs can upskill in procedural and emergency medicine skills through the Rural Procedural Grants Program.
GPs who provide full-time or locum procedural or emergency medicine services unsupervised in a rural hospital are eligible to apply for the RPGP.
This week’s round up also includes the first in the new series of Emerging Minds webinars, how to get involved in this year’s Foundation grants, and the upcoming Close the Gap Day.
Training grants for rural GPs
The Department of Health’s Rural Procedural Grants Program (RPGP) is administered by the RACGP to give financial assistance to GPs who provide procedural and/or emergency medicine services in unsupervised settings in rural and remote areas.
Funding is available to help GPs access relevant educational activities to maintain or update their procedural and/or emergency medicine skills.
To apply, GPs must currently be providing unsupervised procedural or emergency medical services in a rural hospital located within a health workforce MMM 3–7 area.
Eligibility to participate in the RPGP is for those who are credentialed in:
- anaesthetics
- obstetrics (intrapartum)
- surgery (abdominal, gynaecological, endoscopic or orthopaedic)
- emergency medicine.
These services must be being provided unsupervised on a regular basis in a rural hospital, either full-time or as a locum. Locums who provide emergency or procedural services for a minimum of 28 days per financial year in a rural area may also be eligible.
Procedural grants for anaesthetics, obstetrics and surgery:
- $2000 per day for up to 10 days of face-to-face training per financial year
- $1000 per day for up to 10 days of online training until 30 June 2022
Emergency grants for emergency medicine (including emergency mental health):
- $2000 per day for up to three days of face-to-face training per financial year
- $1000 per day for up to three days of online training until 30 June 2022
- Additional three days per financial year for emergency mental health training
More information and registrations are available on the
RACGP website.
Emerging Minds webinar series
Webinar: Thursday 31 March, 7.00−8.30 pm (AEDT)
The first in the Emerging Minds series − Infant and early childhood mental health: Connecting with children and families – attracts three CPD points.
GPs play a crucial role in the mental health and wellbeing of infants and young children. Based on a case study with a focus on practice, this webinar will explore key concepts and evidence of infant and early childhood mental health, and the importance of using a child-centred and family-focused approach.
The practice skills required to effectively engage and connect with young children and their families, and related practice challenges will also be discussed. The panellists will also respond to practice challenges raised by webinar participants.
Presented by
Emerging Minds and RACGP Specific Interests Child and Young Persons Health.
Register online.
Family violence education program
The RACGP Family Violence GP Education Program assists GPs in developing skills and knowledge to respond to domestic and family violence, to ensure practice staff better support victims and survivors, and understand what it means to be an Information Sharing Entity.
Open to all Victorian GPs and practice staff, the program will inspire networking with like-minded professionals to share, discuss and develop knowledge of family violence via peer-group learning activities.
The program offers two training pathway options – beginner and intermediate/advanced.
Register online.
Foundation grants 2022
For over 60 years, the RACGP Foundation Grants and Awards program has nurtured GP researchers to develop an evidence base and discover new ideas and solutions to improve primary healthcare for all Australians.
GPs and GPs in training can now apply for the 2022 grant program, which provides an opportunity to join a long list of exceptional researchers whose important work has influenced Australian healthcare.
Applications close 2 May.
Further information and applications are available on the RACGP Foundation website.
Introduction to sexual and reproductive health
Webinar: Thursday 10 March, 7.00−8.30 pm (AEDT)
The Australian Government has identified improvements in knowledge and awareness of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among health professionals as a key national health priority.
However, GPs have identified several challenges in being confident to provide sexual and reproductive health consultations to their patients.
This webinar provides an overview of sexual and reproductive healthcare in general practice, covering sexual health, sexual history taking, STI screening and contraception.
Register online.
Digital health on-demand webinar
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rapid increase in the use of technology to enable continuity of care.
Delivered in collaboration with the Australian Digital Health Agency, this webinar provides an opportunity for GPs to strengthen digital capabilities to ensure ongoing provision of care, as physical and digital consultations are delivered seamlessly as a core feature of general practice.
The webinar attracts two CPD points and will cover:
- communication tools – secure electronic communications, email
- business tools – website, online bookings, social media, privacy and security
- clinical tools – telehealth, My Health Record, eRequesting, electronic prescribing, apps
- the challenges of digital health
- planning for a digital health future.
Register online.
National Close the Gap Day
National Close the Gap Day is a day of action for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality. The RACGP encourages members to stand with Indigenous leaders for health and justice by getting involved on 17 March.
There are several ways GPs can take part this year, such as organising and running a National Close the Gap Day activity, which will play a vital role in helping to advocate for health equality.
Activity photos and stories are encouraged to be shared with the RACGP on social media, alongside #ClosetheGap #ClosetheGapDay hashtags.
GPs can also take action by signing the
Close the Gap pledge and spreading the word to friends, family, and colleagues to ensure as many Australians as possible can be part of the generation that closes the gap.
More resources and information are available on the
ANTaR website.
Log in below to join the conversation.
CPD In Practice rural and remote training grants webinars
newsGP weekly poll
How often do you feel pressure from patients to prescribe antibiotics that are not clinically necessary?