Extra Training for Regional Proceduralists Welcomed
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today welcomed the Government's increased training support for procedural GPs, which was a key recommendation from the AMA's recent Rural Health Issues Survey.
The AMA Rural Reference Group (AMARRG) has for some time stressed the importance of improving procedural skills to better support the delivery of rural health care.
The Government has lifted available subsidies under the Training for Rural and Remote Procedural GPs Program from $15,000 to $20,00 per year for training in surgery, anaesthetics and/or obstetrics.
The areas eligible for the grants have been extended to include larger regional centres.
Dr Capolingua said a strong set of procedural skills ensures that GPs can deal with a wide variety of clinical situations, particularly in places where access to specialist services is limited or non-existent.
"While very welcome, the extra support for proceduralists is still only part of the solution for rural health," Dr Capolingua said.
"The States have to stop closing country hospitals and downgrading services in the bush before country doctors have nowhere left to practise their skills.
"The chance to practise procedural medicine is still one of the great attractions of being a country doctor so we need more quality facilities in the bush, not fewer.
"And all governments must do more to make rural medicine an attractive career choice for young doctors," Dr Capolingua said.
The higher subsidies will also be available to GP proceduralists working in some metropolitan areas.