The Joint Consultative Committee on Anaesthesia (JCCA) was a tripartite committee with representatives from (Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). The inaugural meeting of this committee between the RACGP and ANZCA was held on 11 March 1994. ACRRM subsequently joined the JCCA during 1998. Membership of the JCCA was four specialist anaesthetists from ANZCA, two rural GP anaesthetists nominated by RACGP Rural, and two rural GP anaesthetists nominated by ACRRM.
The JCCA’s brief was to provide a forum for discussion between ANZCA, RACGP and ACRRM on all matters relating to rural GP Anaesthesia training, ongoing education and quality improvement. It supervised and examined GP registrars from the rural training stream of the RACGP and ACRRM completing the 12 month Curriculum for General Practitioner Anaesthesia, 6th edition, 2020.
The committee also offered a continuing professional development (CPD) program which enabled rural GP anaesthetists to maintain their skills and knowledge in anaesthesia. The JCCA CPD Standard program ceased on 31 December 2022. Since 1 January 2023 rural GP anaesthetists have liaised with their GP college re their CPD/ PDP specific interest requirements for GP anaesthesia.
Launched in 2023, the Rural Generalist Anaesthesia Training Program is a joint initiative of ANZCA, the RACGP and ACRRM to deliver the education, training, and assessment of rural general practitioners and rural generalists providing anaesthesia services in rural locations. The 12-month training program is available to rural generalist registrars and fellows seeking formal training and certification in anaesthesia. This new training superseded the JCCA’s GP anaesthesia training.
As the Joint Consultative Committee on Anaesthesia (JCCA) was no longer responsible for GP anaesthesia training in Australia the committee closed on 30 June 2024. Rural GP anaesthetists who have enquiries of an administrative nature, such as requests for a copy of their letter of satisfactory completion of training, can email these to jcc@racgp.org.au up until 31 December 2024.