Announcements
Want to work here?
We are a newly established general practice located at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast, next to Bond University. We are looking for a full time GP to join our friendly team. We provide good administrative support and nurse support to doctors. Doctors are remunerated 75% of gross billings or more. The Varsity Lakes area is a growing area, with mixed population of young families with children, and retirees. Our mission is to provide quality medical care and improve the health standards of the local community. We look forward to GPs who share similar values to join our team.
Please contact Dr Chen (07) 5580 8628
or 0433819598 or email j.chen@gcagedcare.com.au
1,000 new GP registrars start work in local communities
A record number of junior doctors have this year begun their vocational training to become GPs under a $150 million Gillard Government program.Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said 1,000 junior doctors had taken up places in 2012 to work as GP registrars in hospitals and doctor surgeries in urban and rural areas across the country.
“GPs are the front line of our health system, providing professional medical care to millions of Australians every year,” said Ms Plibersek.
“To assist GPs get the training they need and to ensure local communities are served by as many doctors as possible, the Gillard Government is continuing to increase vocational training places.”
The GPs are being trained under the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, which has been greatly expanded as part of a government commitment to boost doctor numbers.
The number of registrar places were increased to 700 in 2010, 900 in 2011 and 1,000 this year. The number of training places will increase to 1,100 in 2013 and 1,200 in 2014.
“When Tony Abbott was health minister he capped the number of GP training places at just 600 a year which lead to a critical shortage of doctors.”
“The Labor government made a commitment to double the number of training places by 2014 and we are on track to meet that commitment.”
Ms Plibersek and Member for Chifley Ed Husic made the announcement at a medical practice in Blacktown in Western Sydney which has taken two new GP registrars as part of the 2012 intake.
Mr Husic said the GP training program was helping Western Sydney grow its medical workforce as well as meeting local demand for GP services.
“Because Western Sydney is a rapidly growing area, it is important the Government continue to provide the community with access to high quality medical care, when and where it is needed,” Mr Husic said.
“These new GPs, who are already highly experienced, having completed years of medical training and hospital work, will now provide services to the local community while they are completing their training.”
“The Gillard Government provided $20.6 million to build the UWS Blacktown/Mt Druitt Clinical School which is now training 150 medical students in our local hospitals.”
Under the AGPT program, GP registrars provide services to patients under the supervision of a senior doctor. The program is the main pathway for achieving GP qualifications in Australia.
Registrars must complete three years of full time training to qualify as a GP. AGPT is overseen by General Practice Education and Training Ltd which delivers the program through 17 regional training providers across Australia.
The 2012 intake includes nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and 24 people from the Australian Defence Force.
2012 AGPT Funded Places by State and Territory:
NSW, 335
Vic, 225
Qld, 204
WA, 89
SA, 76
Tas, 28
NT, 26
ACT, 17
National, 1,000
For more information, please contact the minister’s office on 02 6277 7220.
Health Minister recognises GPRA’s role to support future GPs
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today acknowledged the “important” role that General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) and its student and junior doctor networks play to support future GPs and improve primary healthcare.Ms Plibersek made her comments during GPRA’s ‘Breathing New Life (BNL) into general practice’ conference at Parliament House. BNL has become the industry’s major annual event where GP issues are canvassed and solutions discussed by current and future GP leaders. 
“The work being done by GPRA and its networks is supporting your profession, your workforce and
individual clinicians to be the very best they can be,” Ms Plibersek told the 160 conference delegates, many of who were GPRA’s registrar, junior doctor and student members.
“We must not underestimate the importance of good guidance and support in the early stages of one’s professional career,” she added.
Ms Plibersek said the Government would deliver primary healthcare reform by: providing the best quality healthcare to all Australians where and when they need it; building the capacity of the health workforce and system; and implementing sustainable reform that brings real and lasting improvement.
“None of these things can happen in any meaningful way without GPs. We know that doctors are the essential lifeblood of the health system,” Ms Plibersek said.
GPRA CEO Amit Vohra welcomed the Government’s support. He said members had given valuable input into conference workshops and discussions, which had centred on e-health, rural retention and quality and capacity.
“It’s great to see such enthusiasm from the next generation of GPs,” Mr Vohra said. “Everyone is switched on and suggesting positive and meaningful ways that we can work together with the Government and industry to overcome the challenges facing GPs.”
The Minister announced plans to invest $1.8 billion in training more GPs and medical specialists. She said the Government has committed over $600 million to train a record number of doctors an over the next 10 years, it will deliver an additional 5,500 new or training GPs.
Find out more about key speakers for BNL and check out the Twitter conversation from the #bnl2012 live feed.
Cabinet reshuffle a positive for health
General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is confident that the appointment of Tanya Plibersek as Health Minister, and the elevation of the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, to Cabinet will ensure renewed vigor extends to the health portfolio.
The endorsement follows Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledge that her new ministerial line-up will give the Government new energy and 'fire power' heading into 2012.
GPRA chief executive officer, Amit Vohra, congratulated the outgoing Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, for her achievements throughout the recent reform period, as well as her commitment to tobacco reform, especially the introduction of the plain packaging legislation that came into effect on 1 December 2012.
"We have had a productive, consultative relationship with Minister Roxon and we hope to continue in this way with the new Minister," Mr Vohra said.
As a former Human Services and Social inclusion Minister, Mr Vohra said Minister Plibersek has a strong history of championing issues of social equality and equity.
“We look forward to seeing Minister Plibersek bring these principles into the health arena,” Mr Vohra said.
GPRA also welcomed the announcement that the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing will join the expanded 22-member Cabinet.
“This announcement acknowledges the vital importance of mental health and ageing issues in ensuring comprehensive health reform,” Mr Vohra said.
2012 Health Professionals Teaching and Learning Conference
The Health Professionals Teaching and Learning Conference recognises the importance of dynamic, well trained health professionals and in particular the benefits of learning within inter-professional teams. For more information, please see here.
Wondering where to work next year?
A long-established, fully-accredited General Practice in Berwick is looking for young doctors to join their friendly, supportive team.
Langmore Clinic has a proven commitment to teaching GP registrars and to high quality patient care.
Langmore clinic has recently relocated to fantastic purpose-built rooms with great amenities including eight consulting rooms, two treatment rooms, a nurse consulting room, seminar room, utility room and a large waiting room and admin area.
Berwick is a rapidly growing area with lots of young families, 40 mins to Melbourne CBD via the Monash freeway. Excellent specialist support, two nearby hospitals and on-site pathology.
VR and FRACGP are essential and applicants may be eligible for the outer metropolitan relocation grant.
Please contact Dr Catherine Robinson, Langmore Clinic. ph 9703 9277 or crobinson@langmore.com.au
For more opportunities, contact one of the recruitment agents listed in our Medical Recruitment Directory. http://www.gpra.org.au/recruitment-services-directory
GP registrars overwhelmingly satisfied
GP registrars’ satisfaction with vocational training in the Australian General Practice Training program (AGPT) remains high in 2011.Asked about overall satisfaction with the training program, 87% of registrars responding to this year’s Registrar Satisfaction Survey said they were satisfied, the same as the 2010 result (87%).
General Practice Education and Training Ltd (GPET), the company that funds regional training providers and oversees the AGPT program, conducts an annual satisfaction survey as part of its quality improvement framework.
AGPT program registrars train for up to four years in supervised hospital and general practice posts in order to qualify for Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and/or Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and vocational recognition as a GP under Medicare.
The training is delivered by 17 regional training providers (RTPs) throughout Australia.
Satisfaction levels with their training placement also remained high with 90% of registrars showing high satisfaction with their placement, and most were satisfied or very satisfied with support provided to them, with 89% indicating satisfaction with support from RTP staff and supervisors.
The majority of registrars (94%) agreed or strongly agreed that their training was relevant to their needs and expectations, with 90% finding that their current training placement matched their learning needs.
Again, the majority of registrars agreed that medical educators were available and accessible (85%) and easy to obtain information from (83%).
In terms of career choice, 88% were satisfied they had made the right career choice in pursuing general practice.
The full survey results can be viewed on the AGPT website – www.agpt.com.au.
Change to Training Outside of AGPT Policy 2010
In early 2011 GPET conducted a review of the effectiveness of the Training Outside of AGPT Policy 2010 as requested by the GPET Board at their 30 April 2010 meeting. As a result of the review, GPET has now amended the policy.
Policy Statement
1. Registrars who commence their training in the AGPT program after 1 January 2012 are only able to pursue vocational training outside of AGPT on the successful completion of any one of the following AGPT terms:
a. six months of core General Practice Training
b. six months of Primary Rural and Remote Training
c. six months of Extended Skills Training
d. six months of Advanced Skills Training.
This amendment was accepted by the GPET Board at their meeting on 5 August 2011 and will take effect from 1 January 2012.
To review the amended policy please click on the following link and go to the Training Outside of AGPT Policy 2010 (effective from 1 January 2012).
Australian General Practice Training - Policies
RACGP/Osteoporosis Australia Bone Health Research Grant
Applications are now open for the RACGP/Osteoporosis Australia Bone Health Research Grant which is proudly sponsored by the RACGP and Osteoporosis Australia.
The grant, of up to $30,000 will be offered for a period of one year to fund projects to improve bone health for all Australians through the provision of research funding to general practitioner researchers, the creation of educational tools to influence and assist primary care providers of osteoporosis care, and the promotion of bone health amongst the Australian community.
To be eligible for the RACGP/Osteoporosis Australia Bone Health Research Grant, the chief investigator must be a GP or GP registrar who is a member of the RACGP. New and emerging researchers are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applications close on 30 November 2011.
Further details can be found at www.racgp.org.au/foundation/awards/bonehealth
2012 Guide for GP Registrars — Now online
The Australian General Practice Training 2012 Guide for GP Registrars is now available. Contact your regional training provider for a hard copy version available soon, or go to www.agpt.com.au to download the online version, with relevant information and links for AGPT registrars.
NSW doctor wins RACGP General Practice Registrar of the Year
Dr Sarah Nakhel from Parramatta, NSW, has won the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) General Practice Registrar of the Year Award 2011.
The RACGP General Practice Registrar of the Year Award recognises a general practice registrar’s commitment to general practice, learning and service to patients, practice and the community.
Presenting the award at the RACGP Gala Dinner concluding GP11 – The Conference for General Practice – in Hobart, Tasmania, RACGP President Professor Claire Jackson congratulated Dr Nakhel and acknowledged her outstanding commitment to general practice and dedicated service to the community.
“Dr Nakhel’s supervisors and peers have highlighted her positive attitude, intuitive communication skills, extensive medical knowledge, popularity with patients and thirst for learning, all of which make her a highly deserving recipient of this award.
“Dr Nakhel is able to build a strong rapport with patients whilst eliciting clinically relevant, detailed, well structured information going above and beyond what is expected of a general practice registrar. Her commitment to general practice is inspiring, as is her embrace of learning opportunities. Dr Nakhel’s enthusiasm is a strong indicator of her self-directed learning and the highly professional level she operates at.
“Dr Nakhel is dedicated to providing long term quality health care to patients in the primary care setting through patient education and empowerment and she enjoys teaching medical students. Her genuine empathy, ability to diagnose and treat and her skills in effective and assertive patient follow‐up are indicative of why she is a deserving recipient of the RACGP General Practice Registrar of the Year Award 2011,” Professor Jackson concluded.
Dr Nakhel started her general practice training in January 2010 at The Practice in Blacktown, NSW. From July 2010 –January 2011, she completed her advanced general practice training term at Bligh Park Family Practice in Bligh Park NSW. Currently, she is doing a subsequent general practice training term at Hills Family General Practice in Bella Vista, NSW.
Dr Nakhel said she was thrilled to receive the award. “I am honoured and humbled to be the recipient of such a prestigious award. I feel blessed to have been mentored by an inspirational and dedicated group of general practitioners and given the opportunity to work with colleagues andpatients who give young, passionate doctors the opportunity to not only thrive clinically and academically, but more importantly, make a positive contribution to the community in which they serve,” she said.
GP leaders call for real consultation on primary care policies
GP leaders have urged the Commonwealth and State Governments to ensure there is genuine consultation with GP groups on primary health care policy and reform or risk alienating the core sector of the reform process. Read the full media release...
GPRA appoints new chair
General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Edward Vergara as the new GPRA Chair, effective 16 January 2012. Please see here for the media release.
