Local doctors call for GP rule changes

A LOCAL head of several medical clinics in Bendigo wants changes made by the Federal Government’s Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to make it easier to recruit more doctors to regional areas. 

Chief executive officer of Healthworks, which has three practices in Bendigo, Alan Hall, said the organisation currently has 10 doctors in total but could do with another 12.  

Senior practice and finance manager, Abdul Ali, said the biggest recruitment issue the health provider has had is a lack of suitably qualified doctors willing to supervise those working towards their Specialist AHPRA registration in general practice. 

Less experienced doctors without this qualification need at least 12 months of supervision, according to AHPRA’s website. 

To become a supervisor, doctors in Australia must have a Specialist AHPRA registration in general practice and have worked in the speciality for at least three years. 

Mr Ali said the current requirement is too stringent. 

He said it’s difficult to find doctors trained anywhere, let alone in Australia, and international doctors who may have received a fellowship of a medical collage overseas must undertake the process again local as per Australian rules.  

Healthworks management have found suitably qualified doctors do not want to take on the extra work of supervision. 

“They’ve already studied a lot, they’ve had to study overseas, then have to pass all the exams here, then they have to do fellowship here, then they are working, then their kids are growing,” Mr Ali said. 

“So, they don’t want to take this responsibility.” 

Mr Hall said he would like to see the Government make it mandatory for doctors with the experience, who were supervised themselves, to do that for newer practitioners. 

“If you’ve been supervised before yourself, then you have a right to be supervising somebody else,” he said. 

“I think that is absolutely essential that the Government change those regulations and do it ASAP. 

“The current regulations are working against us, not for us.”