Relocation Incentive Grants

For any questions relating to restricted overseas trained doctors (international medical graduates) use the number below.  This is also the area that issues the exemptions that enable restricted doctors to get a Medicare provider number.

Workforce Regulations Information Line 02 6289 5903.
Employing an overseas trained doctor click here 

For information related to Dandenong District Division see below:

More Doctors for Outer Metropolitan Areas Relocation Incentive Grant
Dandenong District Division Map

International Medical Recruitment

nternational Medical Recruitment is the largest doctor focused recruitment company in Australia with over 20,000 registered doctors on their database expressing an interest in working in Australia.

They are a federal government approved medical recruitment company under the Strengthening Medicare scheme and therefore the cost of their services is free of charge to GP practices who are in a designated a district of workforce shortage.

For further information, please visit their website www.IMRmedical.com or contact on:

Phone:     (03) 9421 3033
Fax:         (03) 9923 6662
Email:      info@IMRmedical.com
Web:        www.IMRmedical.com

Medical Labour Force

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report which presents demographic and labour force statistics on the medical profession in Australia.  Information includes the number of practitioners in each geographic region, state, age, sex, areas of practice, medical specialties and hours worked. The report also includes comparisons over time.  Click to view the media release and the report, or download the publication below.

GP Re-entry Program

The Department of Health and Ageing has announced funding for a GP re-entry program as part of the Strengthening Medicare initiative. 

MedicarePlus More Practice Nurses and Allied Health Workers

The Government has released guidelines for the More Practice Nurses and Allied Health Workers in Urban Areas of Workforce Shortage Initiative. MedicarePlus contains funding for 457 additional full time practice nurses and allied health worker grants for practices in urban areas of workforce shortage. This measure extends the current Practice Incentives Program (PIP) rural practice nurse incentive and expands the range of professional support available to urban practices.

This measure will provide more support for urban practices in areas of workforce shortage. Eligible practices will receive grants to employ or retain the services of practice nurses and/or allied health workers.

The available funding is not great enough to cover all urban practices in areas of workforce shortage.  In order to prioritise practices, the Department has also ranked them based on socio-economic status. It is not certain how this formula has been applied.

HIC has written to the highest ranked 1,100 practices inviting them to apply for the grant scheme. Once take-up numbers are finalised any funding not utilised will be offered to the next practices on the list. The second round of offers is not expected to take place before August.

The range of allied health workers that can be employed under this initiative have also expanded to include workers such as physiotherapists, dieticians and speech therapists.

The initiative commenced on 1 March 2004 and the first payments will be made in May with the PIP quarterly payment. To be eligible for this payment a practice must have employed a nurse or allied health worker for the minimum requirement and returned its application form to the HIC by 15 April. If the application form is returned after that date the first payment will be made in August.

An outline of practice obligations and eligibility criteria under this scheme is available in the guidelines. The guidelines can be found at www.hic.gov.au.

More Doctors OTD flow chart

More Doctors OTD flow chart

Opportunity to Recruit Overseas-Trained Doctors

For clinics eligible for the "Outer Metro Program", no agency fees will be charged.

For more information, please contact Ewa Richardson at the Australian Locum Medical Service.  Phone (03) 8341 1200, Fax (03)9347 8017 or E-mail: auslocum@medic.aust.com.

Recruiting doctors from overseas - assistance from AMA

The Enhanced Medicare Package addresses the recruitment of doctors from overseas.  The AMA have been contracted to assist.  For more information, in particular the eligibility criteria, see their website www.amarecruit.com.au

Assistance in being recognized as an area of workforce shortage and help with medical recruitment can be obtained through agencies contracted by the Australian Government.

See http://www.health.gov.au/medicare/health_pro/otd/medrecag.htm or

Email: diane.jones@amawa.com.au

Doctor Connect

DoctorConnect is an Australian Government initiative that aims to assist appropriately qualified overseas trained doctors to enter the Australian medical workforce.  The website was developed to provide authoritative, accessible and useful information about working as a doctor in Australia.  DoctorConnect provides helpful information about such issues as immigration requirements, medical registration, the Australian health care system, training arrangements and living in Australia.  For more information go to www.doctorconnect.gov.au

Extension of the More Doctors for Outer Metropolitan Area Measure

The outer metropolitan areas of Australia's capital cities have undergone considerable growth over recent years, putting increasing pressure on services provided by medical practitioners. The majority of outer metropolitan areas are currently considered to be districts of workforce shortage.

The measure will over the next four years attract up to 250 general practitioners and specialists to meet ongoing needs in outer metropolitan areas. It will also augment workplace capacity in these areas through up to 250 General Practice registrar placements each year, and the establishment of up to 50 specialist training positions in private settings through which specialist trainees could rotate.

This initiative will benefit people in outer metropolitan areas by attracting more doctors to areas experiencing shortages. From 1 July, the maximum size of the Relocation Incentive Grant will be increased from $20,000 to $30,000 for doctors relocating to established practices, and from $30,000 to $40,000 for doctors establishing new practices. This will provide stronger encouragement for doctors in inner metropolitan areas to relocate and will help existing medical practices recruit the doctors they need.

There will be an increase in the funding available to assist specialist trainees undertake placements in private settings in outer metropolitan areas. This will see an expansion in the number of training placements available, including assistance for participating trainees and private practices/private hospitals providing the training placements.

The Commonwealth Government has committed funding of $64.5 million over the next four years to continue the measure. Information on currently eligible outer metropolitan areas and areas of consideration is available by viewing the capital city maps on www.health.gov.au/outermetro. Information on whether particular locations are eligible may be obtained by emailing the practice street address to outermetro@health.gov.au or by calling the Outer Metro Hotline on 1800 727 899.

District of Workforce Shortage Searchable Database

The Australian Government has developed a District of Workforce Shortage searchable database on website for general practitioners.  The website allows users to determine whether a particular location is considered a district of workforce shortage for the purposes of Medicare Provider Number restrictions.

The website is http://www9.health.gov.au/otdw/dws_database/cf/index.cfm
If need be this then provides a link to a PDF version of the Preliminary Assessment Form and/or on line application.
If you have any queries, please contact the Workforce Regulation Section of the Department of Health and Ageing by emailing DWS@health.gov.au to discuss your DWS enquiry.