More junior doctors will be trained throughout general practice, aged care, large and small hospital environments in Wauchope and Port Macquarie as part of an initiative designed to encourage more doctors to practice in regional centres.
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Announcing up to $13.6 million for the first round of the Rural Junior Doctor Training Innovation Fund (RJDTIF), Federal Assistant Health Minister and Member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie said 11 organisations would be funded to provide 121 training rotations in rural locations, which is the equivalent to 26 full time positions.
“Our government is delivering on its commitment to significantly increase the number of regional and rural-based doctors in training, by expanding opportunities to work in primary care settings.
“This program will help address the gap in the rural training pathway for new medical graduates, and support interns based in rural areas by providing rotations in general practice,” Dr Gillespie said.
“The Federal Coalition Government is committed to training the next generation of rural doctors, and this program is among a number of major initiatives to improve access to health professionals for everyone who calls regional, rural and remote Australia home.”
Under the first round of the RJDIF, the Mid North Coast Local Health District will receive $436,293 to increase intern rotations throughout the region.
Dr Gillespie said the initiative was an important step forward in boosting the number of rural doctors in the area.
“This funding will provide 15 rotations at Flynns Beach Medical Centre in Port Macquarie, which is the equivalent to one full time position,” Dr Gillespie said.
“This funding will assist our junior doctors to live, work and study locally. We want to recruit and retain young doctors in our region, and this program will help them experience life as a local doctor.”
Under the program, Rural Preferential Interns based at Port Macquarie Base Hospital and Wauchope Hospital with an interest in general practice will undergo a 10-12 week rotation at the Flynns Beach Medical Centre.
The RJDTIF strengthens the regional training hubs component of the Integrated Rural Training Pipeline for Medicine, which coordinates training in rural medicine, meaning increased retention of graduates in rural areas.
The funding will be used for clinical supervision, education and training materials, travel and accommodation expenses, and covering the salary of the junior doctor while they are in a primary care setting.