Dear GPRA members,
February has been an incredibly busy and rewarding month for GPRA, with significant successes that will shape the future of general practice training in Australia.
The Albanese Government’s announcement of increased investment in general practice training is a game-changer for the future GP workforce. This long-overdue commitment to improving GP trainee pay and leave entitlements is a direct result of sustained advocacy from both GPRA and our members, and I’m proud of the role we’ve all played in making this hope a reality. The introduction of parental leave, study leave, and a base wage incentive will help ease financial pressures and make general practice a more attractive career path. The increase in medical student numbers, and in prevocational training places in general practice, lets us showcase our amazing specialty to the future GPs of Australia.
As we approach the next Federal election, we’ll continue to urge all political parties to commit to strong and lasting investments in GP training.
Looking ahead, we have some exciting new GPRA initiatives for our members.
We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership with Heidi Health AI, offering exclusive benefits for our members. The use of AI scribes has been a rapidly evolving area and I have been told time and time again by members how much of a difference it makes to their practice. I’d encourage you to discuss with your College and supervisors the best way to bring this excellent tool into your consults to provide potential benefits to your efficiency, an improved ability to focus on providing high-quality patient care, and how this best fits in with your training. We are also pleased to again offer a special discount on DocStock equipment. March 2025 will bring free online events for registrars, and we also have scholarship opportunities available in the Northern Territory. You can find more details on all these initiatives throughout this newsletter.
Earlier this month, we also hosted our inaugural SA Future GP Forum in McLaren Vale. The event delivered targeted solutions to attract more doctors into general practice and improve healthcare access in regional and rural communities. You can read more about it here.
In addition, February has been a busy month of registrar orientations across the country. To those who have just commenced their GP training – welcome! You’re embarking on a fantastic specialty that offers unique challenges and immense rewards. We’re here to support you every step of the way. For those at the other end of their training and awaiting exam results, best of luck and remember the support systems you have around you regardless of the outcome.
I hope everyone is having a great start to the year, and I look forward to sharing more updates next month.
Warm regards,
