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Twelve new trainee General Practitioners (GPs) have started across Tasmania as part of an innovative GP training model aimed at boosting the number of doctors in rural and regional areas.
The trainees – five in the North, three in the North West and four in the South - began their placements in general practice last month, providing a boost to rural and regional primary health services.
They are part of the Single Employer Model pilot, which is a partnership between the Tasmanian and Australian Governments designed to make a career in rural general practice a more attractive option, supported by a $12.97 million co-investment.
As part of the pilot, GP trainees have the choice of being employed by the Tasmanian Government throughout their training rotations which reduces key barriers to recruiting and retaining the next generation of GPs.
By having a single contract and employer throughout their training, GPs can access the same salary and leave entitlements – including annual leave, parental leave and sick leave – as their hospital-based peers. The employment model also allows for a seamless transition between hospital and GP placements.
Last month’s cohort of Single Employer Model GPs follows the first five GP trainees who began placements under the pilot in July 2023.
The employment model is about encouraging more doctors to become rural GPs by providing job security throughout their training, while also strengthening Tasmania’s rural and regional workforce in the long-term.