Representing the views of Rural Generalists, rural General Practitioners, and their profession is a key focus of the College. Members’ perspectives are important for informing policies, position statements, Government submissions and reports which influence essential services ACRRM members provide to rural, remote, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Members are also encouraged to represent the College on public committees and forums.

Submissions
The College has submitted feedback to several important consultations in October, including the Scope of Practice Review, Australian Institute for Digital Health framework and Guideline for Workforce Capability in Digital Health. The College has submitted papers for consideration on a national GP Attraction Strategy, National Employment Models for GP Registrars and the further roll out of the Single Employer Model trials. Submissions due in early November include the Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare funding in NSW and the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) review of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Scope of Practice Review
The College provided a submission to the Commonwealth Government’s national consultation and the President, CEO, and senior staff will be meeting with the consultation lead, Professor Mark Cormack this week.
 
ACRRM was formed to provide the training and professional standards needed to enable doctors to provide the broad scope required to maximise access to care safely in rural and remote areas. As such ACRRM has been at the vanguard of innovation and advocacy for this approach nationally and internationally for over a quarter of a century. 

The College believes that in many circumstances and especially in the case of RG Medicine operating to an expanded scope of their trained competencies, has the potential to greatly improve health care in our country.   However, our healthcare system is complex and effective system change involving scope of practice will involve diverse, nuanced and context-appropriate solutions. 

Expanded and full scope practice has particular value in conditions of relative professional and geographical isolation and limited clinical resources such as occurs in rural and remote areas including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In these contexts, the economies of a highly specialised staff and resource system of care that can occur in major centres do not apply. The absence of scale economies can be offset however through a fit for context skilled workforce and the benefits of strongly integrated care.

Single Employer Models
The College has provided feedback to a range of national forums regarding the roll out of Single Employer Models (SEMs).  ACRRM views these as a key strategy toward building a strong RG workforce that should be progressed as a policy priority.  SEMs should be provided as part of a range of employment options as befitting the diversity of RG training contexts and the diverse training journeys that RGs pursue. 

If designed well, SEMs can create a positive training experience for RG registrars by providing a relatively seamless training journey as they move between private practices, hospitals, and other workplaces. This should provide facilitated access to hospital placements as required, portability of entitlements, and overarching employer oversight of each registrar’s welfare. They can also provide a positive outcome for rural and remote patients and communities by improving recruitment and retention of highly-skilled rural doctors, and by building integration of patient care across services through strengthened connections and linkages across healthcare workplaces within the regional areas.

To be effective, these SEM models must; 

• Involve strong cooperation between participating doctors, practices, colleges, and health services recognising their shared goal of a skilled, sustainable rural workforce 
• Be purpose fit to the diverse contexts in which RG training occurs
• Ensure the College can uphold professional standards for RG training and practice
• Ensure the training employment conditions coincide with suitably remunerated and incentivised RG careers beyond Fellowship  

AIDH Framework and Guideline
The College welcomed the finalisation of the Australian Digital Health Capability Framework (ADHCF) which will equip individuals with the pertinent skills necessary to employ and leverage digital health technologies in healthcare roles as the healthcare sector continues its digital transformation. The College has been extensively involved at all stages of the consultation process, and will utilise the framework in the forthcoming Curriculum review.

The Quality in Data and its importance in Connecting Care Guideline (the Guideline) is a beneficial tool for individuals to use to enhance their understanding, awareness and appreciation of digital health. The College was pleased to note the strengths-based approach taken by the Guideline, as well as its application across a variety of roles, be they clinical, administrative, research or support. 

Contact the Policy team
The Policy team values all members’ input on policy issues as they arise. Member input allows us to provide submissions and representations which are more powerful and more reflective of the realities of rural and remote practice on the frontline. 

Contact Policy@acrrm.org.au  if you would like to provide feedback on a particular issue or consultation.