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Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce Progress Update – October 2023

The second and final stage assessment of the Joint Application of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) for Rural Generalist Recognition is well underway. The national consultation on the joint-application is to commence on Monday 16 October. From that time a Consultation Draft will be published and circulated to key stakeholders. All interested individuals and organisations will have the opportunity to provide their feedback for consideration. The consultation is expected to be open for eight weeks. 

The consultation will be conducted by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) who have been tasked by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) to carry out the overall assessment. This work is being led by the AMC Review Panel chaired by Professor Chris Baggoley. 

The AMC Review Panel reviewed the joint-application which provided the basis for the Consultation Paper and consultation questions earlier this year, and the consultation documentation was reviewed and approved by the MBA. 

Following the consultation, the AMC Assessment Team will collate an advice report which is for approval through AMC governance. A recommendation will be made to the MBA that will in turn make recommendation to the joint Health Ministers. 

The Stage 2 Assessment Joint-Application includes over a hundred pages of documentation. It addresses the key points:

• That the field is a distinct and legitimate area of specialist practice
• That the field can contribute to the standards of medical practice
• That recognition will address Australia’s service delivery and quality of care

Read the Stage 2 Assessment Joint-Application

BACKGROUND

The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce has been meeting on a monthly basis since 2019 to oversee the joint-application to the MBA for recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialised field within general practice. It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart and includes senior representatives of the RACGP and ACRRM. 

The MBA conducted an initial assessment and determined that a case had been established to progress the joint application to a Stage 2 Assessment to be conducted by the AMC. A further assessment determined that an Office of Impact Analysis Regulation Impact Study (RIS) would not be required in the process. The Medical Board’s overarching process and guidelines can be viewed here. 

For further information please contact the joint-application secretariat at recognitiontaskforce@acrrm.org.au

Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce Progress Update – July 2023

The second and final stage assessment of the Joint Application of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) for Rural Generalist Recognition is well underway.

The Stage 2 Assessment is expected to take approximately 12 months. It is being led by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) Review Panel chaired by Professor Chris Baggoley.

The AMC Review Panel have reviewed the application. The Consultation Paper and consultation questions have been drafted and the AMC is working with the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) to finalise the document and commence the consultation. 

The Consultation Paper will be published and circulated and there will be around eight weeks of national consultation.

The AMC Assessment Team will then collate a report which is for approval through AMC governance. A recommendation will be made to the MBA that will in turn make recommendation to the joint Health Ministers. 

The Joint-Application includes over a hundred pages of documentation. It addresses the key points:

• That the field is a distinct and legitimate area of specialist practice
• That the field can contribute to the standards of medical practice
• That recognition will address Australia’s service delivery and quality of care

BACKGROUND

The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce has been meeting on a monthly basis since 2019 to oversee the joint-application to the Medical Board of Australia Medicine as a specialised field within general practice.

It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart and includes senior representatives of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
 
The MBA conducted an initial assessment and determined that a case had been established to progress the joint application to a Stage 2 Assessment to be conducted by the AMC. A further assessment determined that an Office of Impact Analysis Regulation Impact Study (RIS) would not be required in the process. The Medical Board’s overarching process and guidelines can be viewed here. 

For further information please contact the joint-application secretariat at recognitiontaskforce@acrrm.org.au .

Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce Progress Update - December 2022

The Joint Application of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal

Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) for Rural Generalist Recognition has been submitted to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) this week to commence the second stage assessment process. The application includes over a hundred pages of documentation. The key points to be established are:

• That the field is a distinct and legitimate area of specialist practice
• That the field can contribute to the standards of medical practice
• That recognition will address Australia’s service delivery and quality of care

Prior to this, the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) conducted an initial assessment. This determined

that a case had been established to progress the joint application to a Stage 2 Assessment to be conducted by the AMC. A further assessment determined that an Office of Best Practice Regulation (OPBR) Regulation Impact Study (RIS) would not be required in the process. The Medical Board’s overarching process and guidelines can be viewed here.

The AMC Stage 2 Assessment is expected to take approximately 12 months. It will be carried out by a Review Panel chaired by Prof Chris Baggoley. This will involve review of the Stage 2 Application and development of an AMC Consultation Paper.

The Consultation Paper will be published and circulated and there will be around eight weeks of national consultation. The AMC Assessment Team will then collate a report which is approved through AMC governance. A recommendation will be made to the MBA that will in turn make recommendation to the joint Health Ministers.

Members of the Rural Generalist Taskforce met with Hon. Emma McBride, Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health on 3 November to provide a progress update and to discuss the National Rural Generalist Pathway.

BACKGROUND:

The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce has been meeting on a monthly basis since 2019 to oversee the joint-application to the Medical Board of Australia (Medical Board) for recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine

as a specialised field within general practice. It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart and includes senior representatives of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).

For further information please contact the joint-application secretariat at recognitiontaskforce@acrrm.org.au.

The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce has been meeting on a monthly basis since 2019 to oversee the joint-application to the Medical Board of Australia (Medical Board) for recogntion of Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialised field within general practice. It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner, Associate Professor Ruth Stewart and includes senior representatives of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).

The Medical Board has advised of its determination that the ACRRM-RACGP joint application for recognition has established a case to progress to its Stage 2 (detailed) Assessment. This will be conducted by the Australia Medical Council (AMC).

The AMC have appointed Prof Chris Baggoley to chair the AMC Review Panel and it is expected the full panel membership will be confirmed in the near future. The process guidelines are also expected to be confirmed in the next few weeks.

The Commonwealth Government’s Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) has reviewed the application and advised that the process will not be required to incorporate a Regulation Impact Study (RIS).

The Assessment is expected to take approximately 12 months and to involve a national consultation, review of the current status of the specialist field, and further community impact analyses of the proposal. It is expected that the public consultation will be open for around two months and we would encourage all interested stakeholders to take the opportunity to contribute their feedback.

The Medical Board’s overarching process and guidelines can be viewed here.

The Taskforce continues to meet reguarly to prepare for the upcoming assessment and its national consultation and to discuss related issues.

For further information or assistance, please contact the joint-application secretariat at recognitiontaskforce@acrrm.org.au.

Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce Progress Update - April 2022

The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce has been meeting on a monthly basis since 2019 to oversee the joint-application to the Medical Board of Australia (Medical Board) for recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialised field within general practice. It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart and includes senior representatives of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).

The Medical Board has advised of its determination that the ACRRM-RACGP joint application for recognition has established a case to progress to its Stage 2 (detailed) Assessment.

The Stage 2 Assessment will be conducted by the Australia Medical Council (AMC). As this is a new process, the AMC are currently finalising their process guidelines. The Assessment is expected to take approximately 12 months and will involve a national consultation, review of the current status of the specialist field, and further community impact analyses of the proposal.

The assessment may be required to incorporate a Regulation Impact Study (RIS) for the Commonwealth Government’s Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR). The RIS makes a determination regarding whether the proposed regulatory change would be of net public benefit.

The Medical Board has made an application to the OBPR to determine whether the Stage 2 Assessment will involve a RIS. Representatives of the Medical Board, the AMC, the ACRRM and the RACGP met with OBPR officers in March to discuss this, pending a final determination.

View the Medical Board’s overarching process and guidelines.

The Taskforce continues to meet regularly to prepare for the upcoming assessment and its national consultation and to discuss related issues.

For further information or assistance, please contact the joint-application secretariat at recognitiontaskforce@acrrm.org.au.

The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce has been meeting on a monthly basis since 2019 to oversee the application to the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) for recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialised field within general practice. It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commission and includes senior representatives of the RACGP and ACRRM. 

• In November 2021, the MBA sent advice that the ACRRM-RACGP joint-application for recognition had been considered and that the Board had been determined that a case had been established for the joint- application to be progressed to the Stage 2 (detailed) Assessment.
• Both the process for a detailed assessment of a new specialty and the associated requirements to do this in conjunction with the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR), are new and untested. Meetings have been held with the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and the Commonwealth Department of Health to clarify the impending processes. The Taskforce has been advised that the Stage 2 assessment may take from 12 to 18 months.
• It needs to be determined whether the process will require a Regulatory Impact Study (RIS) in association with the OBPR. This is a predominantly financial assessment of whether the proposed regulation change would have negative community impacts. The Taskforce is currently working with the MBA to finalize an application to the OBPR to determine whether this will be required.

Other key developments include: 

• The National Rural Generalist Strategic Council establishment in July 2021. This continues to meet to progress the broader national agenda of the National Rural Generalist Pathway (NRGP). It is chaired by the National Rural Health Commissioner and includes the GP colleges, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), jurisdictional health services representatives and other key peak bodies.
• The National Medical Workforce Strategy 2021-31 released in January 2022. This incorporates the Rural Generalist workforce in its planning and action priorities and includes the Collingrove definition of a Rural Generalist.

The Taskforce continues to meet regularly to progress its application and related issues. 

Background 

• The Specialist Recognition application process involves a Stage 1 (initial) assessment, and if successful, progresses to a Stage 2 (detailed) assessment and may also include a RIS conducted by the OBPR. More information here.
• The Stage 1 joint-application was submitted by the two GP colleges to the MBA in December 2019. The application’s assessment was conducted by the Australian Medical Council (AMC).
• The MBA sent advice in August 2020. This requested another national consultation and further research, actions, and information. An Additional Advice paper documenting this further work was submitted to the MBA in July 2021.
• Over this time, the Taskforce engaged with key bodies, including all medical specialties, NACCHO and other peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations, jurisdictional departments of health, medical schools, junior doctor groups and other key health professional bodies to discuss the proposal and its implications.
• The letters of support received and submitted for the joint-application, included correspondence from representatives of jurisdictional health departments, key medical colleges, Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) and the National Rural Health Student Network (NRHSN), CRANAplus, medical schools, the AMA, the RDAA, the RDAA Specialists Group, the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA), the Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), the RFDS, the National Farmers Federation, and the Australian Local Government Association.
• For further information or assistance, please contact the joint-application secretariat at recognitiontaskforce@acrrm.org.au. 

• The Rural Generalist Recognition Taskforce was formed in September 2019 to oversee the application to the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) for recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine as a specialist field within general practice. It was chaired by Foundation National Rural Health Commissioner (Commissioner), Prof Paul Worley and included representatives of both general practice colleges. A secretariat was established to support this work.
• A national roundtable was held in September 2019 which included Taskforce members, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Prof Brendan Murphy and representatives of the Commonwealth Department of Health (DOH), the Executive Officer of the MBA, Australian Medical Council (AMC) representatives and other key stakeholders. This provided guidance for the Taskforce on the expectations for the process.
• The application process involves a Stage 1 (initial) assessment, and if successful progresses to a Stage 2 (detailed) assessment and may also include a Regulation Impact Assessment conducted by the Officer of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR).
• The Stage 1 joint-application was submitted to the MBA in December 2019. The application’s assessment was conducted by the Australian Medical Council (AMC).
• The MBA sent advice in August 2020. This did not specify an assessment outcome but requested that further information be provided. From this advice, there was uncertainty regarding the actions and advice that would be regarded as sufficient to enable proceeding to Stage 2.
• The new Commissioner, A/Prof Ruth Stewart was appointed in September 2020. The Taskforce was reconstituted and reaffirmed its commitment to continue to progress the application.
• A roundtable meeting was convened on the 9 October 2020 which included Taskforce members and key DOH staff led by Deputy CMO, Prof Michael Kidd. This discussed progress, timeframes, and implications for the NRGP implementation.
• A meeting was convened of the Taskforce with AMC representatives on 20 January 2021. This provided opportunity for the Taskforce to seek clarity regarding the AMC decision process and expectations. Based on the AMC advice, the key areas of action required were, (1) to undertake a further national consultation, (2) to provide further evidence of RG specialist title’s impact on workforce outcomes, and (3) to provide more detailed analysis of the alternative mechanisms to achieve workforce outcomes without RG specialist title.
• The Taskforce has been undertaking national consultations since that time. A presentation on the application was made to the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC) on 18 Nov 2020. A follow up letter was sent to all College Presidents which included details of the application and invited further discussions. Similar letters were sent to key stakeholders including to rural and remote community representative groups, medical schools, medical and health professional associations, jurisdictional health services and medical colleges. On request the Taskforce has met with key groups including specialist medical colleges, medical schools, state and territory health departments, and the Northern Territory Health Minister, NACCHO, and CRANAplus. It has received letters of support from peak professional associations including Rural Doctors Association of Australia, the Australian Medical Association, medical colleges, jurisdictional health services, junior doctors and medical students, medical schools, and rural community representative groups.
• The Taskforce continues to meet to progress its consultations and related issues. ACRRM and RACGP signed a Memorandum of Understanding to reflect their commitment to working together toward progressing the application and the delivery of training in the specialist field.
• The additional advice report was submitted on 5 July 2021. If the MBA supports progress to Stage 2 (detailed assessment of the proposal) it is estimated to take a further 12-18 months. The level, type and timing of consultation is to be determined by the AMC and possibly also by the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR).