As I regularly meet with many of our stakeholder and client groups, a familiar comment is often made to me – “I can’t believe its July already!”

While the realisation that we have passed the half way mark of the year can cause some consternation, I am pleased about the real progress that RWAV has made towards bedding down and achieving our 2009-10 business targets.

The Business Planning process has focused our attention on how to meet the expectations of our two major client groups: general practices that need a doctor and doctors interested in a rewarding career working in rural Victoria as a general practitioner.

To achieve this, we are investing quite significant resources in the profiling and marketing of vacancies that we are asked to fill, working with individual practices to ensure that the highest rate of recruitment success is achieved.

Similarly, we are continuing to invest in our candidates to initially guide them through assessment and registration and then to assist them to find a placement that meets an individual doctor’s personal, professional and family requirements.

I look forward to reporting our progress against targets as we move through the year.

And finally, a reminder to all Divisional Workforce Development Officers that we will again be conducting our one day meeting in Melbourne on August 14 where we’ll present numerous medical experts and organisations to discuss and explain the new National Registration and Accreditation framework. This is one not to be missed!

Claire Austin
RWAV Chief Executive

The centre will provide ongoing care to residents of Kinglake and the surrounding areas with GP services and psychiatric support. 

RWAV has been providing the local community with GP locums and will continue to do so.  

However, in order to continue the care in a sustainable way, we need many more Vocationally Registered general practitioners who are interested in working in Kinglake one day per week or fortnight, over a month or two.

A subsidy is available to cover all doctors’ expenses for locum support that is provided.

Please contact Angela Phillips to register your interest.

Recently announced changes to the rural and remoteness classification from RRMA to the Remoteness Area (RA) matrix will impact the incentives available to doctors and general practices.

Much of the discussion so far has surrounded on the conversion of previously classified RRMA areas to the new system on a local, state and national level.

To assist in understanding of the new classifications, the Department of Health and Ageing has developed a website at www.doctorconnect.gov.au

International keynote speaker Professor Des Gorman challenged delegates to think about the GP role in the sphere of primary health care. In between the plenary session and participating in the panel discussion, Des was interviewed for ABC Radio National Life Matters program, talking about how he sees the doctor of the future. Click here to listen to this interview. Des has kindly made his conference presentation available: http://www.rwav.com.au/awards/conf_friday.aspx.

We invite you to visit the website regularly as the presentations will be available for viewing in the coming weeks pending individual presenters’ approval.

Over 200 Hospital Medical Officers, interns, prevocational doctors and medical students recently discovered how a career in general practice is exciting, flexible and challenging.

As usual, RWAV was on hand to answer questions from those interested in pursuing a career in rural general practice.

Our recruitment team spoke about the variety, flexibility and financial rewards available in general practice and how you can really mark your mark in medicine as a country GP.