As NSW opens applications for the second year of its rural generalist single employer pathway, ACRRM remains in full support.
The single employer model is receiving high praise from registrars in training, says the ACRRM president, but evaluation must also ensure supervisors and practices are on-side as well.
Today, the NSW Rural Generalist Single Employer Pathway opened to applicants for its second intake of trainees.
The pathway aims to help trainees establish rural generalist careers in areas of high need by employing them for up to four years through the regional local health districts.
Training is then undertaken between general practice and hospital.
In its inaugural year, the program employed 21 rural generalist trainees across seven LHDs.
Speaking to The Medical Republic, ACRRM president Dan Halliday said the college was supportive of the single employer model, based on reports from its registrars in training.
“Overall, the benefits of the single employee model are postulated to include improving cooperation between doctors, practices and health services,” he said.
“They enable a fit-for-purpose opportunity to provide a diverse context in which the rural generalists can train and learn in practice.
“Rural generalist trainees working in these [single employer] models are working more seamlessly within and across private practice settings and, by and large, the feedback we’re getting is that they’re happy to continue in those models.”
Dr Halliday said support for the model had been largely driven by registrars.
“The intent of the model to have that security and tenure during training has been strongly driven by registrars and we should be supportive in recognising that.”
Dr Halliday said that while there may be potential to expand the model, it was important to recognise the elements that underpinned its success.
“Certainly, with the college taking over training and having the ability for the colleges to have a greater oversight of the training and supervision provided in these models, has been beneficial,” he said.
“I think that would underpin the [success of] single employer models and their evaluation going forward.
“We’re also seeing that they are a potential solution for communities that have been traditionally hard to attract registrars to.
“Of course, it’s still underpinned by a good establishment of local relationships between community general practice and the emergency, acute and secondary care services.
“Without positive relationships, then sometimes the retention ability to keep staff, to keep registrars in those areas, can be challenging.”
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Dr Halliday added that it would be important for the model to be inherently flexible to allows registrars to “opt in and opt out” of the model along the way depending on their professional and personal commitments.
Dr Halliday added that ongoing evaluation, with college support, would be vital to understand the true value of the model.
Beyond registrars, the evaluation should also extend to the supervisors and practices to ensure that they are getting as much value out of the model as registrars are reporting to.
Positions for the 2025 intake will be available at Far West, Western, Southern, Northern, Murrumbidgee, Illawarra Shoalhaven, Hunter New England, and Mid North Coast LHDs and will be open for application until 6 August.
