Workforce Support

All 31 of Australia's Primary Health Networks support the directions and views expressed in this briefing paper and have contributed through comments, case studies and revisions, with an aim of empowering local knowledge, collaboration and shared decision making, within an enabling national policy framework, to facilitate the best health outcomes for the community.

View the Enabling New Models of Care and Workforce Solutions - Briefing Paper

Some communities in the ACT and NSW currently, or are predicted to, experience GP service shortfalls, due to changes in community needs or workforce shortages.

In response to this concern, the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) has funded the establishment of the General Practice Workforce Planning and Prioritisation (WPP) Program across NSW and ACT.

What is the Workforce Planning and Prioritisation Program?

The ACT’s PHN, Capital Health Network, is leading the NSW and ACT General Practice WPP consortium. The consortium has been tasked with providing independent, evidence-based advice to the DoHAC and the GP colleges (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine) to inform the geographic distribution and placement of GP registrars to meet the community’s current and future GP workforce needs.

This program presents an opportunity to provide independent advice, using key data with a focus on community needs, to support a positive training experience for early career GPs.

What’s involved?

The General Practice WWP team will work with a range of stakeholders at a jurisdictional and regional level to undertake analysis and provide advice that will guide the RACGP and ACRRM’s selection and placement allocation processes to the DoHAC. PHNs in NSW and ACT will undertake local stakeholder engagement to gather information and test assumptions about locations in greatest need of GP services.

Help influence the future of GP Registrar placements in Western NSW

WNSW PHN will contact practices to undertake stakeholder forums throughout western NSW to test prioritisation information and foster collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Your support for the Program will enhance the ability of the reports to integrate the data, insights and expertise.

Consultation with Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in the ACT and NSW is essential to inform the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander needs within the prioritisation analysis.

What are the intended outcomes of the WPP Program?

• A well distributed GP workforce to service all Australian communities now and in the future.
• Greater visibility of GP training opportunities to support GP registrars to complete their training in a single region as they progress through the medical pathway.

How will the program impact the community?

Evidence suggests that GP registrars that have a positive training experience tend to stay in that community, build impactful relationships, and influences the health outcomes in that region. The WPP Program will provide robust and non-bias advice focused on identifying the community health needs across the NSW/ACT region where GP Registrars can help to address service gaps and hopefully establish a long-term career.

Contact

For more information about the opportunities to contribute, please contact:

Scott McDonald
WNSW PHN General Practice WPP Program Stakeholder Liaison Officer
scott.mcdonald@wnswphn.org.au
0417 349 761