Medical workforce recruitment and retention

What is the Division's GP recruitment & retention program?
The Division plays an important role in sustaining and increasing the general practice workforce in our region. It involves a full time program manager whose role is to attract general practitioners to the area and to retain existing GPs. Typical services include:

• Targeted recruitment
• Locum and support services to assist GPs to gain adequate locum cover for continuing professional development, family and recreation leave
• Facilitating combined after hours rosters and other initiatives to look after the wellbeing of local GPs and their families
• GP health & wellbeing programs.

Challenges
51% of the Division's GPs are over 50 years of age, and 11% of these are aged over 60. GP recruitment is thus a perpetual task both to fill vacancies and to replace GPs as they retire. There is significant competition from all other areas within Australia, particularly urban areas. 

Rural practices generally look after a diverse and spread out population. The work can involve on call and after hours work, and potentially a range of procedures with minimal hospital facilities.

Why work in North East Victoria?
North East Victoria offers a relaxed country lifestyle and access to as many recreational activities and pastimes as anyone could wish. There is summer bushwalking in the Victorian alps, or cross country skiing in winter, three ski resorts, world class golf courses, bike and walking tracks, gourmet food and wine areas and trout fishing, to name a few. The major metropolis of Melbourne and Victoria's beautiful beaches are at most a half day drive from most areas within the region. It has well regarded schools, and high quality general practices and friendly rural communities that will make any doctor welcome.

GP recruitment and locum services
The Division recruits GPs from overseas, within Victoria, interstate and, for GPs to provide locum support to fellow practices, within the Division . It utilises a variety of strategies including its own and other websites.

The Division assists GPs entering the workforce by liaising with various agencies such as the Immigration Board, Medical Board of Victoria, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Health Insurance Commission and the Rural Workforce Agency of Victoria. It helps with provider and prescriber number applications, medical registration and Rural and Other Medical Practitioner Scheme (ROMPs) applications. We also play a major role in matching GPs with practices, arranging practice visits and interviews and assisting with family requirements.

For locum services, the Division is the contracting agent, responsible for arranging provider numbers, negotiating conditions between practices and locum GPs, payment of locum GPs and invoicing practices and providing accommodation if required.

GP wellbeing programs include

The Division supports programs that provide relaxation, peer support, social events and conferences. This enables GPs to meet on a social basis with everything arranged.

GPs GP Program -  It is just as important that General Practitioners have their own GP as it is for any other member of the community. The GPs GP program ensures Division doctors can take care of their own health and take preventative health measures. If you are a Division GP, and do not currently have your own regular GP, contact our workforce consultant below for details of GPs participating in the program as GPs to GPs.

Reviewed 11 February 2010