GPs, registrars, medical students, academics, and government will come together to develop strategies to get more GPs in training in South Australia at the Raising the Prestige of General Practice Think Tank tonight.
Organised by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) South Australia Faculty, in partnership with Adelaide University Medical School and Flinders University College of Medicine, the think tank aims to deliver three strategies to attract more medical students into GP training within the next 12-months.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton will attend the think tank, alongside Shadow Minister for Health Ashton Hurn, Shadow Minister for Regional Health Services, Ageing, Preventative Health, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Penny Pratt, and Chief Executive of the Department for Health and Wellbeing Dr Robyn Lawrence.
RACGP South Australia Chair Dr Sian Goodson said getting more GPs in training is essential for a strong GP workforce in South Australia.
"General practice is one of the most rewarding careers, but this is not reflected in the number of medical students choosing general practice," she said.
"In fact, medical student interest in general practice is at an all-time low. And we urgently need to reverse this trend because a strong and sustainable GP workforce is essential for the health and wellbeing of South Australians.
"Our think tank will look at what barriers there are to general practice training, and what strategies we can action to make it a more attractive and viable option for medical students in South Australia. There are known issues that can be addressed, such as ensuring medical students don't lose their work entitlements or take a pay cut when they move from hospital training into general practice, which is what happens currently.
"I am also very pleased that we will have both the Health Minister and Shadow Health Minister in attendance because this is an issue that politicians of all stripes need to get behind. General practice care keeps people healthy and out of hospital, and we need to do everything we can to ensure it is strong and sustainable, and we have enough GPs in every community."
