We work both in public and behind the scenes to ensure your interests as a physician are clear to healthcare decision makers in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.    

Here's a summary of some of the current issues which potentially affect you and our workforce – and what we’re doing about them. 

This is only a snapshot of our workforce and health reform advocacy. The RACP is working across a broad range of issues with government and other stakeholders to ensure our physicians and trainees are well-supported to deliver the care their patients need.

For more information on RACP’s work, see our latest Policy & Advocacy Quarterly Report. 

Professor Jennifer Martin
RACP President 

Your Workforce, Your Say

Your voice is powerful and will drive meaningful change

The RACP Your Workforce, Your Say Survey is now open and is your chance to make a real impact on the future of our workforce strategy. This is your opportunity to share your valuable insights, influence pivotal decisions, and shape the advocacy on issues that matter most to you.

By sharing your ideas with us, you will help drive systematic change, shape advocacy efforts and ensure your opinions are heard.

Please complete the RACP Your Workforce, Your Say Survey before it closes on Sunday, 15 September 2024 at 11.59pm AEST.

Have your say

RACP supports streamlining IMG approvals, but urges caution to ensure safety 

We support making it simpler, quicker, and cheaper for international healthcare practitioners to work in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, but quality of care and patient safety must be maintained. 

We’ve been highly active on Government proposals to fast track getting International Medical Graduates (IMG) practising in Australia.   

Here’s what we told the government in response to last years’ Kruk Report which recommended 28 changes to speed up allowing overseas healthcare professionals to practise. We’ve also been engaging with the Medical Board on proposed expedited pathways. 

Across in Aotearoa New Zealand, we’ve been contributing to the Medical Council of New Zealand’s consultation on expedited pathways for overseas trained specialists.

Scope of practice review and proposed new roles 

Rural generalists 

We have engaged with the Medical Board, Australian Medical Council and Rural Doctors’ Association of Australia on a range of issues relating to the role of rural generalists in Australia – including specialiy recognition, models of care, scopes of practice, training and continuing professional development.    

Rural generalists make a significant contribution to rural and remote medicine through the skills and expertise they offer, and we support initiatives that address community need and promote equitable access to high quality healthcare for rural and remote patients. However, our role in ensuring this model works well with physician and primary care is critical.

RACP’s view on physician assistants in Australia 

Physician assistants have been trialled in Queensland, but just like expedited IMG approvals, patient safety remains a significant concern. 

We are engaging with members to understand key issues for physicians and the community if governments were to look at the use of physician assistants as a way of reducing pressures on the healthcare workforce – including whether they might be a viable option and what that workforce should look like. The RACP is a critical stakeholder for governments to work with on this issue.   

We will be making sure key issues like patient safety, clinical governance, limits on use and scope of practice, training, supervision and any unintended impacts (including on our trainees) are front and centre of discussions with government and other key stakeholders across the health professions.

RACP advises the NSW Special Commission into healthcare funding on entry into training and accreditation 

A safe and well-resourced medical specialist workforce is essential to a functioning, effective and sustainable health system. COVID-19 and uneven workforce distribution have only worsened effects on our mental health and wellbeing.  

We’ve been actively involved in the Special Commission travelling around NSW asking for both the public and healthcare sector’s views on the funding of the largest healthcare system in Australia. 

As part of ensuring a positive workplace culture for Fellows and trainees, we’ve called for urgent implementation and appropriate funding of mental health initiatives and practical supports for healthcare workers, together with strengthening system capacity and resourcing, greater training and employment flexibility and research support.     

Engagement with the Commission has continued through meetings with the Commission and most recently hearing evidence from RACP Dean, Associate Professor Kudzai Kanhutu and Executive General Manager - Education, Learning and Assessment, Professor Inam Haq.

The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman

The National Health Practitioner Ombudsman (NHPO) is driving change, urging medical colleges to boost fairness and transparency. A recent review by the NHPO scrutinised specialist medical college policies for accrediting training sites, aiming to sharpen transparency, accountability, and efficiency. As the review progresses, its impact on medical colleges, like the RACP, is becoming evident.

Key outcomes of the review include:

• reformed accreditation: strengthened accountability in accrediting training sites
• clearer roles: better-defined responsibilities for stakeholders in the accreditation process.
• enhanced transparency: clearer information for trainees, hospitals, and the public.

We are working closely with regulators to improve our assessment framework and processes in response to a range of reviews, including the NHPO and the Kruk review.