Regional, Rural, and Remote Physician Strategy
Purpose
The College Council developed a vision to achieve equitable health outcomes for Australians and New Zealanders living in regional and rural locations, approved by the College Board in 2020:
"The RACP commits to achieving equitable health outcomes for Australians and New Zealanders living in regional and rural locations by prioritising, advocating, and supporting regional and rural workforce and training initiatives.
One means of achieving this will be to facilitate collaboration between governments, employers and the College to increase the number of high quality, well-resourced and attractive accredited training settings and training positions in regional and rural locations so that trainees competitively seek these and consider remaining in these settings following the completion of their training."
Regional, Rural and Remote Physician Strategy
The Regional, Rural and Remote Physician Strategy (PDF) was endorsed by the College Council at its 9 June 2023 meeting and approved by the Board at its 23 June 2023 meeting. Work will commence on the development of an implementation strategy.
Regional and Rural Physician Working Group (RRPWG)
The RRPWG was established under the College Council to:
- consider options for strategies to advance the College Council’s vision statement
- develop a project plan to advance the College Council’s vision statement
- ensure appropriate consultation with relevant external and internal stakeholders such as, but not limited to, the College Education Committee and the College Trainees Committee, in developing the project plan
- present recommendations to the College Council for endorsement prior to presentation to the College Board for approval
Read the RRPWG Terms of Reference (PDF).
Members
| Professor Nick Buckmaster |
Chair |
| Dr Evelyn Bowles-Funk |
Paediatric and Child Health Division member |
| Dr Lauren Bradbury |
Adult Medicine Division member; regional, rural, remote |
| Dr Jeremy Christley |
Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine representative; regional, rural, remote |
| Dr Marianne Gillam |
Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine representative; regional, rural, remote |
| Dr Kirsty Macfarlane |
Aotearoa New Zealand member; trainee |
| Dr Annabel Martin |
Adult Medicine Division member |
| Ms Ngāpei Ngatai |
Consumer, Māori voice |
| Dr Simon Quilty |
Regional, rural, remote; ATSIHC voice |
| Dr Peter Sharman |
Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine member |
| Dr Sarah Straw |
Adult Medicine Division member; regional, rural, remote |
| Dr Janaka Tennakoon* |
Paediatrics and Child Health Division member |
| Professor Martin Veysey |
Adult Medicine Division member; College Education Committee member |
| Dr Peter Wallis |
Paediatric and Child Health Division member |
| Associate Professor Aidan Foy |
Co-opted member |
* Resigned mid-term.
Consultation on draft strategy
The Regional, Rural, and Remote Physician Draft Strategy was circulated for external consultation in February 2023, with feedback sought by the end of March 2023. In addition, town hall Zoom meetings were held for members:
Next steps
The RRPWG will commence the development of an implementation plan.
Resources