THE state government has followed through on its plan to introduce a rural generalist training pathway to help strengthen the number of doctors in rural SA.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said this would form a key part of the overall Rural Medical Workforce Plan.
"It is clear that the most urgent health workforce issue we face is the shortage of rural doctors, particularly in the more remote areas of SA," he said.
"One of the most important strategies included in the plan is the introduction of a coordinated rural generalist training pathway, which will increase training positions based within rural SA."
Rural Support Service chief clinical advisor Hendrika Meyer said the key priorities of the pathway included creating employed Rural Generalist positions and providing better access to procedural training posts for GP trainees based in rural areas.
"The pathway is in the early stages of establishment and is expected to be operational in 2021," she said.
Rural Doctors' Association of SA president Peter Rischbieth said a plan for the rural medical workforce was good news but would need to be backed up in the next state budget in order to account for the 2021 start.
The state government had committed $20 million to rural health across four years from 2018 to 2022.
"That's spread across ambulance, allied health, rural doctors and all the health professional groups," he said.
"I would like to see funding specifically allocated to the training pathway."
He estimated more than $15m would be needed specifically for the training pathway, including equipping rural hospitals for training and training supervisors.
Dr Rischbieth said this funding was needed to send a clear message to junior doctors that it would be a "robust and exciting rural training program".
"We need to provide a clear message to junior doctors the rural medical workforce will be well-supported to assist our patients," he said.
"Because it is a great career path."
The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners have submitted a joint application to the Medical Board of Australia to formalise national recognition of the distinct work and skill set of Rural Generalists.
RACGP vice president and chair of the Rural Council Ayman Shenouda and ACRRM president Ewen McPhee agreed this was a critical step toward achieving a thriving Rural Generalist workforce, which will meet the healthcare needs of people living outside urban areas.
"Formal national recognition will create a clear career path for aspiring Rural Generalists," Dr McPhee said.
"It will also address the many system barriers that trainees and practitioners currently face in gaining their qualifications and providing their skilled services in rural and remote areas.
"A strong Rural Generalist workforce is a critical component in addressing the well-documented inequities in access to healthcare for rural and remote communities."
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