GPSA Chair Report – July 2023

At the halfway mark… And what a half-year it’s been!

For this month’s Chair Report, I thought we might share a summary of the work GPSA has been focusing on for our members over the first 6 months of the year:

• expanding services for GPSA members:
  • free online community platform to connect members and promote GP training community of practice
  • GPSA now an approved CPD provider for RACGP (ACRRM provider status pending)
  • developing wide range of “cheat sheet” resources
  • developing online modules to complement growing repository of guides and teaching plans
  • podcast in development – hosted by Drs Simon Morgan and Justin Coleman
  • developing an internationally-accessible mobile app “Scenario” to provide readily-accessible, affordable alternative to physical flashcard resources
  • developing a free web-based version of the Clinical Reasoning Game (physical game value $120 per unit)
  • working with HiCaps and other private sector stakeholders to develop strategies for practices to manage upcoming payroll tax changes
  • GPSA now an approved provider of practice manager CPD for AAPM
• developing an evaluation tool for quality improvement and College use in training practice accreditation – based on the 2021-22 General Practice Clinical Learning Environment (GPCLE) research and resources under funding from the RACGP ERG
• developing a supervision support program specific to the Northern Territory under grant funding provided by NTGPE
• working with AMA Queensland and the RACGP to advocate on behalf of training practices in the payroll tax ruling (application of which was subsequently deferred to 2025)
• participating in (and now coordinating) monthly Supervisor PD meetings with RACGP and ACRRM
• meeting fortnightly with RACGP to progress operational and strategic matters
• meeting fortnightly with ACRRM to progress operational and strategic matters
• meeting fortnightly with GPRA to develop collaborative opportunities and identify emerging issues
• meeting monthly with DOHAC to advocate on behalf of supervisors and training practices
• participating in quarterly GPTAC sector stakeholder meetings
• participating in quarterly meetings of the National Council of Primary Care Doctors
• participating on the National Advisory Committee of the Rural Health Commissioner
• participating on Steering Groups for state / territory Workforce Planning and Prioritisation (WPP) organisations
• successfully completing the 2022 revision of the NTCER with GPRA and updating the Agreement for 2023.2
• driving meetings with each state / territory to discuss the 17 new juridictional Single Employer Model (SEM) pilots currently under consideration, ensuring priority is given to:
  • facilitating and rewarding high quality training placements in private practice
  • avoidance of unintended consequences such as:
    • exacerbating the urban / rural divide
    • further diminishing trainee motivation to learn the business of general practice
    • trainee enticement to remain in public health employment post-pilot / post-fellowship
    • postponing rather than solving the issue of lost entitlements upon leaving hospital employment for independent contracting once fellowed
• working with Regional Training Hubs and Rural Workforce Agencies to expand supervisor and training practice supports for medical students and pre vocational learners / IMGs
• exploring opportunities to develop national standards for training practices involved in the supervision of medical students and pre vocational learners / IMGs
• exploring alternative solutions to state-based SEMs to tackle attraction of more doctors to general practice
• working with ACRRM to develop rural generalist (RG)-specific resources
• participating on RG Reference Groups in WA, working with RDN NSW, VRGP and RGPWA to support supervisors of pre vocational learners on RG pathways
• developing tools from the 2022 research study, “Conflict in GP Training Placements”
• undertaking research and evaluation to underpin GPSA policy around:
  • member engagement strategies – “Building a Thriving Community of Practice in GP Training”
  • “Educational Interventions for the GP Supervisor”
  • 3 core themes:
    • Best Practice
    • Capacity Building and Resilience
    • Well-being and Satisfaction
• successfully negotiating the Memorandum of Understanding and Terms of Reference for the SLO Advisory Council with ACRRM and RACGP, including financial support for state representatives to attend one face-to-face meeting per annum
• advocacy on behalf of supervisors and training practices including (but this is far from an exhaustive list):
  • registrar placements
  • opportunities for training practice accreditation
  • implementation of new WBAs
  • ongoing need to reduce red tape
  • streamlined processes and communications to assist with accessing payments via Services Australia
  • improved access to remittance advices for NCP payments 
• continuing to refine and build on GPSA’s repository of best practice supervision and employment resources.

If you would like to know more about any of this work, please use the form on this page to contact Carla and myself.
In the meantime, wishing you all the best as Semester 1 wraps up and we move into the second half of 2023.