In 2004 the Australian Government launched a new initiative as part of the Strengthening Medicare package entitled Training for Rural and Remote Procedural GPs Program.

This program supports procedural GPs in rural and remote areas (RRMAs 3-7) to attend relevant training which will focus on both skills maintenance and upskilling. The support for doctors performing anaesthetic, obstetrics and procedural work is in the form of a grant for the cost of up to two weeks (ten working days) of training including the cost of the required locum relief, to a maximum of $20,000 per GP per annum. For doctors performing emergency work only the entitlement is for three days. This is based on the financial year in which the training is completed.

To be eligible for the program rural and remote GPs must:

• Register with the Health Insurance Commission (HIC). This can be done on line.
  
• Produce documentation which shows they have VMO credentialing in one of the procedural areas of anaesthetics, obstetrics or surgery
  
• VMO status with a hospital or other appropriately equipped facility
  
• Participate in an accredited training activity or undertake a supervised clinical attachment which will be reported on to either the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners or Australian College of Remote and Rural Medicine.

Rural Health West has undertaken to assist procedural GPs access this training grant in three ways:

1. Providing MSOAP training courses in anaesthetics and obstetrics which have been accredited with the RACGP and ACRRM and are eligible for the grant
2. Providing emergency courses developed by Rural Health West which have also been accredited and are eligible for the grant
3. Assisting procedural GPs to undertake supervised clinical attachments in anaesthetics, obstetrics and surgery in Perth and regional hospitals.

For further information, please email Rural Health West or telephone (08) 6389 4500.