The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) have welcomed the news that the evaluation of applications from International Medical Graduates (IMGs) looking to work in Australia is being sped up by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
The IMG arrivals in Australia have reverted to pre-covid levels and according to ACRRM President Dr. Dan Halliday, this is a chance to improve the GP workforce in the country, especially now that it is declining.
Australians will have better access to healthcare because of AHPRA’s readiness to act by speeding up the application processing process and introducing new, user-friendly tools and resources to help IMGs file their applications. However, the ACRRM wishes to ensure that these incoming doctors can support rural and remote communities.
According to Dr. Dan Halliday, ACRRM is in a perfect position to offer IMGs the education, networking opportunities, and support they need to confidently practice in rural and remote locations and meet the communities' healthcare needs. The College offers a training pathway that advances skills to the level of a rural generalist, trains and supports specialist rural general practice, and enables doctors to deliver high-quality, extended care to rural, remote, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in which they live and work.
Moreover, according to RACGP President Dr. Nicole Higgins, for international GPs who are prepared and motivated to operate in the communities that need them the most, the college has been advocating for fast-tracked entrance.
Like the ACRRM, the goal of RACGP is to improve the GP service shortage as well as in other professions such as nurses and pharmacists, both in rural and urban areas.
Interim General Manager of Joint College Training Services Announced
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) are pleased to announce the immediate appointment of Anthony Paulson to the position of Interim General Manager at Joint College Training Services Pty Ltd (JCTS).
Anthony is a proud Aboriginal man from the Worimi and Mununjali nations. He has substantial experience working respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and has previously held top management positions in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS).
Anthony has held prominent positions with both government and non-government organizations throughout his career, often in outlying areas of New South Wales. He started working at GP Synergy as the manager of the Aboriginal Cultural Education Unit in 2017, and he enjoys the variety of the position and interacting with many stakeholders. He is looking forward to continuing to provide GP registrars with high-quality cultural education and mentoring by working respectfully with cultural educators, mentors, college personnel, and other key stakeholders.
Anthony is happy to have the chance to support the strategic plan funding for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health training and to support the increase in GP registrar training in Aboriginal health training facilities. These initiatives are intended to improve health outcomes for these populations.
In the first quarter of 2023, the JCTS Board will start the hiring process for a permanent General Manager.
GPs Essential in Improving Mental Healthcare
One of the goals of RACGP is to make sure that no patients are left behind. Thus, the college called on the government to support GPs in enhancing mental healthcare in rural areas. In one study from James Cook University, it was reported that patients who live outside of Australia's major cities had higher rates of attempted and successful suicide, poorer mental health, and more difficult access to mental treatment.
In line with this, Dr. Nicole Higgins, the RACGP President, said that in rural and isolated locations, there must be more done to improve mental health outcomes.
According to RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements, in rural areas where there is frequently less access to other specialists like psychiatrists and psychologists, general practitioners (GPs) play a particularly crucial role in aiding patients with mental health issues.
Moreover,even if patients can obtain a referral and are willing to pay to see another specialist, they often face a long drive to access the services they need. That is why GPs must be given a helping hand to do even more to help those with mental health concerns, including in rural and remote areas.
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