The Albanese Labor Government is making it easier for rural Queenslanders to see a doctor with a $2.4 million investment and an innovative program to support stronger rural healthcare.
The new Single Employer Model (SEM) trial will support up to six GP and rural generalist registrars' training in the Charleville region of Queensland. The trial will be delivered by Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council in partnership with Charleville and Western Areas Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health.
Registrars' training will be packaged with high level cultural mentoring and support, to allow them to build strong connections with the community and expertise in delivering comprehensive primary health care for First Nations people.
Under the trial, GP and rural generalist registrars have the option of being employed as salaried employees. This would allow them to have a single employer while placed in GP practices in rural and regional locations across the state, instead of having to change employers every six or 12 months with each new placement.
By providing GP and rural generalist registrars with guaranteed income and entitlements such as annual leave, parental leave, sick leave and other remuneration and benefits received by doctors working in hospital settings, the SEM will make working in rural and general practice more attractive and improve recruitment and retention of GPs in regional and rural communities.
This will give medical graduates the best opportunity to build their careers while supporting our medical workforce in regional and rural areas, making it easier for people in Charleville and surrounding regions to see a doctor.
This is a model that has worked in previous trials. It offers the security that many young doctors are after and provides a pathway to increase the number of rural GPs and highly skilled rural generalists across Queensland.
The new trial is part of an SEM expansion announced in the October 2022 and May 2023 Federal Budgets. Trials will run until 2028.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler MP:
"We want to attract more doctors to rural Queensland and this innovative, First Nations community-led approach will help to retain the doctors needed to continue to provide essential primary healthcare services to the Charleville community.
"The Albanese Government continues to remove unnecessary barriers to strengthen rural Australia's primary care services now and in the future."
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney MP:
"We know that access to healthcare has been a challenge in rural, regional and remote Australia. This announcement is helping change that".
"Labor's making it more attractive for registrars to work in regional and rural communities.
"As a former nurse, I know the importance of cultural mentoring and support, this investment is going to support GPs to provide culturally supportive healthcare.
"This is the first SEM trial to be led by and delivered by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and aligns with our Government's commitment to Closing the Gap.
Quotes attributable to Sheryl Lawton, Board Regional Director, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council and CEO, Charleville & Western Areas Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Ltd (CWAATSICH):
"We're facing a critical issue with GP shortages in rural, regional and remote areas like Charleville, and it's something that requires innovative solutions.
"To attract the new generation of doctors, we need to rethink our approach. It's about creating an environment where these young professionals feel supported, valued, and connected to the communities they serve.
"In Charleville, the need for a strong medical workforce in primary care is crucial. We cannot afford to see our families and Elders leaving the community for preventable health reasons. This pilot project is a first for community control and is an opportunity to bring healthcare back to the heart of our communities, ensuring that our people receive the care they need, where they need it. It's about more than just healthcare; it's about keeping our communities strong, together, and thriving."
Quote attributable to Matthew Cooke, Chairman, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council:
"Building a GP workforce that understands the ACCHO model of care and the importance of true connection with the community is not just essential to Closing the Gap, it's transformative.
"This First Nations-led pilot project is a groundbreaking step towards ensuring that our communities are served by doctors who are not only clinically proficient but also culturally informed and committed to long-term relationships.
"The Single Employer Model trial offers registrars the stability and continuity they need to thrive, and it's a model that reflects the values of our communities-where relationships, respect, and trust are paramount. By embedding registrars within ACCHOs, we're nurturing a future workforce that will carry forward the legacy of culturally safe, community-driven healthcare."
