The RACGP has condemned the Federal Government’s plan to cap work-related self-education expenses at $2,000 per person, affecting GPs and junior doctors amongst other health professionals, from 1 July 2014.
The Government’s recently announced ‘education reforms’ fail to recognise the out-of-pocket expenses that are likely to hit hard-working GPs undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities designed to ensure their clinical skills and medical knowledge are in line with latest evidence and best-practice recommendations.
Dr Liz Marles, RACGP President, said “general practitioners are at the forefront of providing quality healthcare to our communities. It is important the Government recognises Continuing Professional Development as essential to ensuring the high quality of care delivered to our communities is maintained.”
“GPs should be adequately supported in this regard and not discouraged from participating in activities that address individual learning needs. Capping self-education expenses at $2000 is a clear indication the Government is not aware of the true costs involved in participating in high quality CPD,” Dr Marles said.
Upon referring to the Medical Board of Australia’s Continuing Professional Development registration standard outlined below, the RACGP highlights the difficulty in determining the average costs encountered by individual GPs in meeting the CPD requirements. The CPD activities chosen will reflect the individual GP’s learning needs and depending on the activity chosen, will incur largely varying costs.
Medical Board of Australia’s Continuing Professional Development registration standard states:
“Medical practitioners who are engaged in any form of medical practice are required to participate regularly in continuing professional development (CPD) that is relevant to their scope of practice in order to maintain, develop, update and enhance their knowledge, skills and performance to ensure that they deliver appropriate and safe care. CPD must include a range of activities to meet individual learning needs including practice-based reflective elements, such as clinical audit, peer-review or performance appraisal, as well as participation in activities to enhance knowledge such as courses, conferences and online learning. CPD programs of medical colleges accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) meet these requirements.” www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx
Dr Liz Marles said, “We know for example, attending face-to-face activities, that by nature have higher associated running costs, such as the Advanced Clinical Emergency Management Program, in absence of an education grant, may exceed the capped $2000 self education expenses alone (dependant on RACGP membership status).
“While the learning outcomes at face-to-face activities are known to have significant advantages due to their increased interactivity, it is also important to note the reason why a GP may have elected to undertake the course; this may be due to a specific interest or learning need held in this area of practice,” Dr Marles said.
Commenting on whether the self-education cap may play a role in the decision of doctors to elect to participate in less expensive online learning activities, Dr Marles said:
“I believe the majority of GPs would continue to undertake the CPD activities that address their learning needs. The Government is keen to see an increase in procedurally trained GPs and for certain doctors e.g. GPs working in rural and remote areas, procedural skills training (which requires face-to-face education), will inherently incur higher running costs with associated travel costs and therefore hit these particular doctors the hardest, many of whom are working in areas of need.”
The RACGP calls on the Government to immediately scrap the new tax changes, so Australia’s GPs are supported in their efforts to maintain their medical skills and knowledge, rather than be deterred to do so.