Procedural Training > About Procedural Training

About Procedural Training

The NSW Health Procedural Training Program is administered under contract by CCCGPT in the same areas as we conduct our core business of GPR Training. This means we cover three Area Health Serivces (AHS): the SES/Illawarra, the Greater Southern Area Heath Service and the Sydney South West Area Health Service.

The aim of the Procedural Training Program is to mitigate the workforce issue in most parts of regional and rural NSW by training either existing GPs or GP Registrars in procedural skills. The areas in which training may be provided include:

Obstetrics
Anaesthetics
Emergency Medicine
Mental Health
Surgery

Training may be for GPs already working in a centre which needs these skills or perhaps for GPs working as a procedural GP. Training can be offered on a full-time, part-time or flexible basis recognising individual circumstances and previous experience.

Training is offered at an accredited training location, usually at regional/district hospitals where there are appropriate specialists and supervisors. Regional Training Providers like CCCGPT ensure that training posts are accredited. To be accredited with the appropriate College, training posts must meet a number of requirements including a required volume and variety of cases as well as providing specialist supervision.

Click here to view our Accredited Training Posts

This Procedural Training Program allows participants to:

Participate in a program leading our GP Workforce into the future
Maintain their marketability
Enhance their procedural skills
Practise the varied medicine encompassed in our rural communities
Work in a training program tailored to their needs
Customise their training: full-time (6 or 12 months) and flexible training pathways are available.
Get your experiences regonised while earning a salary

The following is a modified extract from the NSW Health Procedures Manual and provides more information on the program and CCCGPT’s role.

Background

The NSW Health Procedural Training Program has been developed to address the shortage of General Practitioners with procedural skills working in rural and regional NSW.

Through providing paid full-time or flexible training opportunities GPs already in practice or GP Registrars are encouraged to acquire procedural skills in the following areas:

Obstetrics
Anaesthetics
Emergency Medicine
Mental Health
Surgery

Although Mental Health is not strictly a procedural specialty, it is recognised as an area of increasing prevalence where GPs have a significant service role and need for additional skills and qualifications.

A significant contribution is made by General Practitioners with procedural skills and qualifications to rural and regional health care in NSW. The value of expanding the current level of support for procedural training in rural NSW is considered an important facet of an overall strategy directed towards ensuring the availability of health care services.

The Rural NSW GP Procedural Training is the outcome of a joint proposal for the establishment of GP procedural training posts in NSW from Rural Doctors Association in NSW, NSW Rural Doctors Network, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Rural Facility and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).

The Program aims to enable up to 30 additional GP Procedural Training positions in rural NSW in the above specialties each year.

Positions are created on a full time, part time and flexible basis - dependant on the location and learning needs of the interested participants.

Guiding Principles

The guiding principles for the establishment of these GP procedural training posts in NSW include:

Priority to be given to doctors seeking 6-12 month training terms
Flexible and part time options are available
To be available to rural GPs or GPs seeking to take up rural practice
To be available to permanent resident overseas trained doctors currently working in Area of Need positions in rural NSW
To be consistent with the service needs of rural and remote communities
To include formal recognition of training (eg links with CME programs, existing Diplomas etc)
To link with existing accredited training providers
To take into consideration recommendation from the NSW Rural Health Report
Training to be offered in rural centres where possible but may be considered in a metropolitan environment. The trainee would then return to a rural location to work.
Training posts to meet approved training standards determined by all relevant colleges
The procedural training process is to be endorsed by all of the relevant Colleges (ACRRM, RACGP and the other relevant learned medical Colleges)

In selecting participants for the Program, it is necessary to ensure that opportunities exist for the ongoing use of procedural skills. Doctors will be eligible to access training relevant to the service needs of the community in which they intend to practice. GP Registrars not in an established practice, or GPs intending to change the location of their practice, may be provided with assistance to identify practice locations or practice vacancies that would provide an opportunity for them to utilise their procedural training.

The Role of Coast City Country General Practice Training

Regional Training Providers (RTPs) are contracted to manage the administration of the Program in collaboration with the Area Health Services (AHS) and NSW Health Department. CCCGPT liaises with the Area Health Services and the Divisions of General Practice to determine the current local service needs of the community as well as the availability or anticipated future availability of procedural positions.

Area Health Services have the ultimate responsibility for the selection and appointment of applicants into the training program based on standard employee appointment mechanisms. The RTP is responsible for the promotion and attraction of the trainees in the Program in close liaison with the local Division of General Practice and the AHS.

CCCGPT’s administrative role includes marketing, accreditation of training posts, development of individual learning plans, provision of Bi-annual reports, arranging for program applicants to be recognised by NSW Health and co-ordinating the provision of Specialist Supervisors, Rural GP Supervisors and Medical Educators to support the trainee.

The Procedural Training Officer from Coast Country General Practice Training is responsible for coordinating an analysis of the learning needs of the GP and taking into consideration the GP, AHS and the community perspectives. This ensures that the training provided is consistent with the service needs of the community in which the GP intends to practice on completion of their training.

Learning Plan Development

Curriculum Base Learning Plans

Training in the Program is based on an individual Learning Plan, which is developed by the GP and supervisor/s, and coordinated by the Medical Educator from the RTP
The Learning Plan reflects the training requirements of the trainee
Identified service needs of the rural or remote community in which the doctor plans to practice, and is to be based on recognised curricula
Sources of curricula that are relevant to the Program are the Advanced Rural Skills Program (ARSP) curriculum (endorsed by the JCCs), the Graduate Diploma in Rural General Practice Curriculum (endorsed by the RACGP) and the list of skills and abilities endorsed by ACRRM in the ACRRM Primary Curriculum
Individual Learning Plans could include elements of any or all of these curricula, with the ability for trainees to draw from the curricula the objectives that match their learning requirements
Learning Plans are then submitted to the Learning Plan Review Committee (LPRC), which would then approve the Plans or recommend modifications where appropriate
Where an existing curriculum in a specific procedural skill is not available, it is to be developed by this committee in conjunction with the other relevant Medical College and be endorsed by all three Colleges. Curriculum could then be “filed” and available to be incorporated in subsequent Learning Plans as required.
RTPs are able to determine the key learning objectives able to be met at local training posts. RTPs can then work with each individual applicant to determine which elements of the curricula match their learning objectives and identify training posts where training in these learning objectives is available
The source curricula of the selected learning objectives is to be clearly specified in the Learning Plan to facilitate consideration for recognition of prior learning by the relevant Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) or College
Participants can add their competencies over time and build up to fulfilling the number of learning objectives/elements of curriculum required to qualify for a higher degree (eg Diploma or ARSP Accreditation)
Required number of training hours or required number of procedures performed needs to be specified in the Learning Plan, based on the requirements of the source curriculum (this may include a minimum number of hours/procedures required and a time limit on training)
Educational tools such as RRMEO (www.rrmeo.com.au) could be utilised to assist in the development of Learning Plans.
Ideally the training program and the subsequent post would then be a “package deal” to ensure sustainability; the aim of the marketing exercise for Tumut, Young and Moruya. Prior to commencing training, the GP would need to determine that their proposed future town or practice has the appropriate facilities, indemnity cover and required number of clients per year to ensure sustainability. This process may be facilitated by CCCGPT

Supervision

Accredited training posts provide supervision in procedural skills training at a level appropriate to the curriculum selected in the Learning Plan. Medical education supervision and support for each procedural trainee is provided by Specialist Supervisor, Medical Educator and a GP Proceduralists.

Recognition of Training

The recognition of training in the Program is based on formal assessment processes and prospective approval
The level of assessment requires is determined by the LPRC based on the requirements outlined in the JCC curricula or in the Learning Plan
The Program is linked to existing processes of recognition of GP training including the RACGP and ACRRM CME processes
Participants are able to apply for consideration for curriculum credit or recognition of prior learning towards other existing awards (eg Graduate Diploma of General Practice, ARSP accreditation, FACRRM)

Maintenance of Professional Standards

The program is linked to existing structures to ensure the maintenance of professional standards
Graduates of this Program may be Candidates or Fellows of either or both ACRRM and the RACGP. Both Colleges have professional development programs specifically aimed at GP Proceduralists, including a requirement that the Fellows demonstrate the maintenance of the skill set being used in practice.

Procedural GPs wishing to maintain full accreditation with the JCC need to complete the JCC CPD pathway. However, a pathway via ACRRM / RACGP is available for those who do not require the full JCC accreditation in a particular speciality. This is to be based on a framework endorsed by the relevant other learned medical college and would be coordinated by the RACGP or ACRRM.