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RACGP launches Registrar Wellbeing Project
Designed to expand support for GPs in training, it aims to enable safe and future-ready learning environments and boost the workforce.
The project has an overarching goal to improve registrars’ health and wellbeing, leading to higher retention rates and a better training experience.
It is widely documented that general practice registrars face high levels of stress and burnout, compromising their mental health and overall wellbeing and impacting their training experience.
This can also lead to reduced workforce retention rates and reduced quality of patient care.
In a bid to address this, the RACGP established the GPs in Training Wellbeing Committee in 2023, with the Committee’s success demonstrated by a long list of advocacy and policy achievements.
Now, a Registrar Wellbeing Project has been launched to not only strengthen support for registrars, but act as a workforce, retention and patient care strategy.
Chair of the GPs in Training Wellbeing Committee and RACGP National Deputy Director of Training, Dr Vanessa Moran, told newsGP the Committee initially identified ‘a number of key initiatives’ to assist with registrar wellbeing.
In response, the Registrar Wellbeing Project was officially launched at GP25 in November, consisting of 48 targeted initiatives identified by the Committee to improve wellbeing and provide direct support for registrars.
‘The project has a focus on improving doctors’ health and reducing burnout but also to address critical areas such as bullying and discrimination in the workplace, aiming to create safe and supportive training environments for all GPs in training,’ Dr Moran said.
‘It’s safe to say that all of the people involved in the project have lived experience.
‘The Wellbeing Committee representatives which include registrars, New Fellows, supervisors, and RACGP staff were all chosen because of their lived experience and passion for improving systems and supports to improve wellbeing.’
Dr Julie McClellan, who was appointed RACGP National Lead Medical Educator for Registrar Wellbeing, shares the same drive for laying the groundwork for positive outcomes.
‘When registrars are stressed and disengaged, they’re more likely to drop out of training, less likely to continue into long-term roles, and far less likely to stay in general practice,’ she told newsGP.
‘This has a ripple effect through our healthcare system, contributing to workforce shortages, poor patient outcomes and pressure on the profession.
‘By addressing registrar wellbeing, we hope to provide lifelong skills that will sustain them throughout their careers and ultimately strengthen the broader GP workforce.’
For the short term, the project’s objective is for registrars to experience enhanced support from the RACGP for their wellbeing, with the long-term goal to see ‘sustained improvements’ in registrars’ health and wellbeing over the coming years.
‘Additionally, we hope the project positions the RACGP as the training program of choice, recognised for its commitment to prioritising registrar wellbeing,’ Dr McClellan said.
As part of the project and the college’s overall commitment, the Wellbeing Hub was also recently launched as a central place to access resources and support for registrars with health or wellbeing concerns.
‘This exciting initiative is a “one-stop-shop” of trusted wellbeing resources,’ Dr McClellan said.
The Wellbeing Hub brings together practical tools, tips and support for GPs in training to assist in:
- managing health and wellbeing concerns
- stress and exam pressure
- navigating placements and patient complaints
- financial and legal concerns
- career uncertainty.
The Hub also includes a
wellbeing self-assessment tool and tailored resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Australian Defence Force registrars. A comprehensive Wellbeing Hub for Fellows is also in development.
The RACGP will be seeking Expressions of Interest for the Wellbeing Committee in 2026, particularly from registrar and supervisor representatives in the Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. Details will be updated on the
Committee’s webpage.
In addition to the Committee and Hub, the RACGP has a
suite of wellbeing resources for members.
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general practice registrars GP workforce GPs in training mental health support registrar wellbeing workforce retention strategy
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