MINISTER for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, and Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, last week launched a national program that will offer emergency training for up to 150 urban GPs in exchange for their undertaking a locum placement in a rural or regional areas.
The Federal Government is providing $790,000 over four years for the Rural Education Assistance Program (Rural LEAP), which aims to give rural and remote doctors a break by providing increased locum services.
Speaking on a tour of Mt Isa and Cloncurry in North-West Queensland, Mr Snowdon said Rural LEAP will help give urban GPs the skills and confidence to undertake a rural locum placement.
"There is evidence that many urban GPs have an interest in rural locum work but do not always feel skilled or confident enough to carry out the many and varied tasks often required of GPs in rural and remote areas," Mr Snowdon said.
Through Rural LEAP, urban GPs will be able to get training in emergency medicine in return for an agreement to undertake four weeks of paid locum work in rural and remote locations.
The program will be jointly administered by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) through the current Rural Procedural Grants Program.
Urban GPs interested in taking part in Rural LEAP can apply through either ACRRM or RACGP from February 1, 2010.
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