This week, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) submitted their Stage Two application for the recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialised field of General Practice.
Recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine will provide a protected title and quality assure the unique training and skill set of thousands of rural doctors currently working across general practices, emergency departments, birthing units, retrieval services and other health services operating in rural and remote communities.
The application follows determination by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) that a case had been established to progress the application to a second, more detailed assessment.
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) assessment team will review and use the application as a basis for public consultation. The AMC will deliver a final report to the MBA, which in turn will make recommendations to the Council of Australian Governments to amend the medical registration laws to recognise Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialised field.
The work toward attaining formal recognition, is being coordinated by the Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce, made up of representatives of the two general practice colleges and chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner.
ACRRM President Dr Dan Halliday says that attaining specialised recognition is a complicated process, but the end is in sight.
"We are confident that the case for recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine continues to strengthen with increasing understanding of the important contribution Rural Generalists make to provide quality healthcare to people in rural and remote communities," Dr Halliday says.
"Formal recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine within our healthcare systems will remove current roadblocks to training, skills certification, recruitment, employment and resource planning for this critical workforce.
"The promise of a career with a recognised title, will provide a major incentive to aspiring future rural doctors to undertake the additional training required to attain the Rural Generalist skill set," Dr Halliday adds.
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins says recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine will help to boost the GP workforce in communities in need.
"As a regional GP myself, I have a great appreciation of our work to ensure GPs with Rural Generalist qualifications are appropriately valued and remunerated. Recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine will attract more doctors to undertake this training and benefit rural communities across Australia by improving access to high-quality care."
RACGP Rural Chair Dr Michael Clements says Rural Generalists are integral to rural healthcare.
"We know health outcomes in rural communities suffer due to lack of access to health services. These communities need GPs with extended rural generalist skills, as well as rural GPs working to their full scope in community general practice, delivering holistic care to patients with a focus on preventative care and chronic disease management. Advancing Rural Generalist Medicine will improve the health of rural Australia."
It is anticipated the AMC consultation and assessment will be a 12-month process.
