The College says there is a real need to grow the surgical workforce in rural and regional parts of Australia particularly but says Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's (AHPRA) plan lacks the nuance to fix the issue in a safe and effective way.
RACS has joined other Australian medical colleges in writing to the Federal Health Minister on Friday, 11 October asking for a rethink of the proposal.
RACS President Associate Professor Kerin Fielding says the College has long been advocating for targerd reforms to address healthcare shortages but says these need to be done in a way that prioritise areas most in need, including rural locations, and uphold patient safety. The College's concerns particularly centre on the proposal to reduce supervision time for Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs) and their lack of targeted masures to retain a rural/regional workforce.
