1. Retention Payments Grants are GP Focused
Grants are incentives for retention of GPs in rural practice

2. Subsidies, Grants and Payments
Training Grants
Area of Need Supervisor Grants
Continuing Professional Dev (CPD)
Flexible Payments System (FPS
Relocation Subsidy

3. Relocation Subsidy Grants
- Experienced GPs
GPARIA 3+ > higher
- New GPs to rural practice eg PROTD
RRMA 1 > 3 - 7
Grants of up to $10,000 are available for GPs relocating within Australia to rural communities.
To be eligible for a relocation grant, the applicants should be:
Relocating to work in a rural area classified GP ARIA 3 or higher; and more the 100km from the coast
RRMA classifies localities based on population size and distance from a major urban centre, with rankings from 1 to 7.
ARIA determines remoteness as accessibility to a range of services – and the distance measured is road distance, not straight distance. So GP ARIA (with rankings from 1 to 5) determines the distance a community has to travel to access General Practitioners.
RRMA is based on spatial location, whereas GP ARIA focuses more on access to GP services.
Relocating to an area with a higher GP ARIA category from a lower GP ARIA category
Relocating to a rural area with a greater need for GPs from a location with a lesser need

4. Relocation Subsidy 18 grants (12 months to Feb 07)
$2000 disruption allowance to Doc
plus actual removals costs (max $8,000)
18 grants (12 months to Feb 07)
$73,088

5. Relocation Subsidy Higher % of Australian-trained doctors
taking up subsidy
WHY more Aussie docs?
Currently reviewing criteria to address GAPS in eligibility
Reported at AGM – 3/11 PROTD (1xRRMA 3, 2 x RRMA 4)

6. Training Grants ELS (emergency life support)
APLS (advanced pediatrics life support)
100km+ from coast OR conditionally registered PROTD  $2000
Others  $1000
Training grants up to $2000 are available to eligible GPs who undertake training in Emergency Life Support or Advanced Paediatric Life Support provided by an accredited trainer.
Grants are available to eligible rural GPs whose principal practice is in the GP ARIA 3+, and to eligible conditionally registered PROTDs providing GP services in areas RRMA 3 – 7.
GPs must apply for this grant before the course, and will be reimbursed by RDN upon presentation of certificate of completion.

7. Training Grants
5 grants (12 months to Feb 07)
$15,000
WHY?

8. ELS Course for rural doctors See me by Wednesday 22nd March
Training Grants
G r e a t
O P P O R T U N I T Y
ELS Course for rural doctors
Weekend 21/22 April 2007
Sydney
See me by Wednesday 22nd March
Cost $1485
Training grant Eligible doctors

9. Area of Need Supervisor Grant
RRMA 3 – 7
Nominated supervisor of a conditionally registered PROTD
PROTD employed through RDN
$1000
$1000 grants are available to NSW Medical Board-nominated Supervisors of a conditionally registered PROTD employed through the direct assistance of the NSW RDN.
The GP must be:
Working in a RRMA 3-7 location;
Nominated Supervisor with the NSW Medical Board of a conditionally registered PROTD working in an Area of Need general practice position
The PROTD must have:
Been employed through the direct assistance of NSW RDN
Not have worked previously in rural general practice in Australia

10. A o N – Supervisor Grant 2 grants (12 months to Feb 07) $3000 Why?
AoN eligibility criteria currently under review.

11. CPD Vouchers Eligibility: all relocation grantees
New to NSW Rural Practice
Recommended by Divisions
$500 allowance & full registration at RDN
conferences
RDN offers GPs new to rural practice (and their families) the opportunity to meet their peers and establish networks by subsidising their attendance at an RDN refresher weekend during the first year of their relocation.
The CPD Voucher is sent to GPs when their relocation is approved, however is not confined to GPs awarded a Relocation Grant. Divisions can nominate a GP if they fulfil the criteria.
The $500 sent to the GP (after the GP provides evidence of attending the conference) covers travel and accommodation costs incurred when attending the conference.

12. Larger numbers offered
CPD Vouchers
4 CPD vouchers redeemed
(in 12 months to Feb 2007)
$2475
Why?
Larger numbers offered
Very few redeeming

13. Suzanne Riley or Lisa Ryan
More Information…?
Suzanne Riley or Lisa Ryan

14. Rural Retention Program
RRP
Flexible Payment System

15. Flexible Payment System
Medicare Payments
Central Payment System or
Flexible Payment System
Locations A - E

16. FPS FOR COMPLEX CLAIMS What we do… Analyse types of services provided
Eligible locations, term, # sessions, timeframe
Verify no Central Payment
Recommend to Medicare Australia
Medicare makes payment

17. FPS
What Doctors?
GPs who work in isolated communities & low billing does not reflect workload
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Norfolk Island Doctors
Antarctica Doctors
Breaks in continuous service eg maternity, illness, sabbatical

18. FPS FPS 1 July to 28 Feb 2007 9 applications to date - 2 rejected
- 3 pending
- 4 recommended (value $57,500)

19. FPS – based on GPARIA Retention Qualifying Max Annual
Category period Amount
A years $5,000
B years $10,000
C years $15,000
D years $20,000
E year $25,000

20. FPS – further information
Dept of Health and Ageing or
R D N
Suzanne Riley or Margaret Smith Ph