THE unique skills and challenges faced by General Practitioners practising in rural and remote areas have been formally recognised.
Rural Generalists (RGs) are now being formally recognised as a specialist medical field within general practice in the Australian healthcare system, following an announcement by Federal Health minister Mark Butler.
The decision follows six years of advocacy for such a recognition from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) in conjunction with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, in partnership with governments, health agencies, and other organisations.
The RACGP is the peak representative organisation for general practice, the backbone of Australia’s health system. It sets the standards for general practice, facilitate lifelong learning for GPs, connect the general practice community, and advocate for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.
The change means GPs with an approved Fellowship of the RACGP or ACRRM will be able to apply for specialist registration as a Rural Generalist under a protected title, and their skills and qualifications can be incorporated into the National Law that governs registered health professions.
“Rural Generalists are the bedrock of towns and communities nationwide, and it’s only fair that their profession is now distinctly recognised as a vital part of our healthcare system,” RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said.
Recognition was an important step in the process towards an approved qualification.
As GPs with extended scope via a year of additional training in emergency medicine and a selection of disciplines needed in rural communities such as child health, mental health, surgery, and obstetrics, Rural Generalists provide invaluable healthcare to their communities, the RACGP said in a statement.
Rural Generalists are encouraged to select disciplines that match both their interests and local needs, and can apply to train in multiple disciplines.
For example, a Rural Generalist who gains competency in haematology and oncology through Adult Internal Medicine training may also apply for additional training in Palliative Care and provide care in a rural hospital alongside their primary care role in general practice.
“This is a positive step forward in making the rural generalism career pathway more visible and ensuring that RGs are always appropriately remunerated for the vital work they do in rural and remote communities across Australia,” Dr Wright said.
“The RACGP is dedicated to boosting rural general practice care so that all patients, regardless of their postcode, can access high-quality care,” he said.
“RGs add to the broad and substantial GP skill set with training in key disciplines that rural areas and hospitals need, so they are highly valued by their communities.
“The range of additional rural skills training available also offers junior doctors an appealing choice of disciplines, and we can see these add to medical students’ interest in general practice, which will help address rural workforce challenges.”
“We must keep pushing forward to make sure we have the right funding incentives in place that allow RGs to take on additional training and additional skills, including working in local hospitals, and much more.
The RACGP will now work with the Australian Medical Council to determine a process where RG Fellowship qualifications can be accredited under this new specialist classification.
Source: RACGP