- About Us
- General Practice Support
- Division Programs
- Aged Care Access Initiative (ACAI)
- Australian Primary Care Collaborative Program
- Cervical Screening
- Chronic Disease Management
- Closing the Gap
- GPII - Immunisation Program
- Palliative Care Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
- Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
- Quality Use of Medicines
- UNSW “No Smokes North Coast”
- Workforce Support Program
- “Why Weight” Program
- Allied Health Services
- Specialist Services
- Community Matters
Workforce Support Program
The Division is funded through the Commonwealth Government Workforce Support For Rural General Practice (WSRGP) program to provide support to general practices throughout the Division. In response to increased pressures placed upon our local GP workforce the support provided by the Division concentrates on;
- Recruitment of GPs into general practice
- Improving access to GP Locums to general practice
- Practice support through the dissemination of information and resources important to general practice
- Education on changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule
- Practice Nurse support and education
- Practice Management support
In 2003, the Division trialled an innovative GP locum support service with the employment of a salaried locum who provided attachments to 14 different practice locations throughout the Division. This very successful program led to the recruitment of the locum, Dr Edmund Wong Shee to full time private practice in the Division area. There wer emany extremely positive comments from GP patients about the highly valued serivce as it provided many hard working GPs which some very much needed locum relief. Further salaried locums were employed by the Division to continue this program, however, left to pursue full time GP work. The Division is continuing to seek a replacement locum, but unfortunately has been unsuccessfult to date to national GP workforce shortages. In the interim, the Divison provides support in the form of subsidies to assist practices in the recruitment of private contracted GP locums.
Over recent years the Division has collaborated with the Coffs Harbour City Council, the Clarence Valley Council and the Doctor 4 Dorrigo community support committee to develop print media GP recruitment campaigns which the Division promoted Nationally via the Australian Doctor and Medical Observer. These national campaigns have attracted strong interest from GPs to relocate to the Division area.
The Division has also established and manages a Practice Nurse Support and Development network program and a Practice Managers Support network under the Workforce Support program.