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    Federal senator for Victoria, Jana Stewart.

Backing rural GPs at Grampians Health

Five people will train to become rural generalist doctors at Grampians Health campuses across the next two years as part of a joint state and federal government program.

The trial of a two-year single-employer model, SEM, will support 15 full-time equivalent rural generalist trainees in Victoria, with five based in the Grampians region and the remaining 10 split between Bairnsdale and Mildura.

Rural generalists are GPs who undertake extra training to deliver a broader range of services to patients in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia.

Under the program, which begins this month, the trainees will be salaried State Government employees, rather than changing employers every six to 12 months with each new GP practice placement.



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A spokesperson for federal Senator for Victoria Jana Stewart said the trials ‘aim to address key barriers to attracting and retaining the next generation of GPs’.

“The trials are intended to improve access to general practice services for local communities by increasing GP trainee numbers,” she said.

“Longer-term benefits are expected by encouraging GP trainees to build connections in the communities in which they train.

“The SEM trials provide immediate benefits to participating GPs trainees. For example, a participating trainee will be able to access leave offered under their State Government contract, which may otherwise not be available under existing employment arrangements with a GP practice.”

Ms Stewart, who grew up in Swan Hill, said access to better healthcare was vital for people living in the country.

“Having grown up in regional Victoria I know how important it is to have quality healthcare services available close to home,” she said.

“Living in regional Victoria is the best. This trial will encourage trainee doctors to build local connections and consider rural and regional Victoria as a destination for a thriving career and their future home.”

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said existing SEM trials in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia had received positive feedback from both trainees and general practices.

She said hosting trainees in the Grampians would help general practices attract rural generalist trainees and increase access to medical services for locals.

She said the trial would encourage trainees to build local connections and consider a long-term future in rural, regional and remote medicine.

“Rural generalists play an essential role in our rural and regional healthcare system by providing the primary, emergency and other medical specialist care Victorians need, closer to home,” she said.

“We are working closely with the commonwealth to build a stronger and more skilled rural generalist workforce to deliver better services for Victorians in both hospitals and primary care.”

The entire February 5, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!