GP Synergy. Annual Report

Transcription

1 GP Synergy Annual Report

2 GP Synergy registrar workshop

3 GP Synergy Annual Report Contents About us 02 Our training regions 04 Chair report 06 Board 08 Governance 12 Chief Executive Officer report 18 Director of Training report 20 Director of Prevocational Education & Training report 22 Staff 24 Training practice support and development 26 Training competent and confident registrars 30 Aboriginal health 36 Expanding the general practice profession 38 1

4 GP Synergy Annual Report About us Our history GP Synergy is one of 17 Regional Training Providers (RTPs) delivering the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) and Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP). GP Synergy was formed in 2009 with the merger of training providers the Sydney Institute of General Practice Education and Training (SIGPET) and New England Area Training Services (NEATS). In January 2010, a further amalgamation occurred with the Institute of General Practice Education and Training (IGPE) training program. The result has been the creation of the second largest training provider in Australia, offering doctors a diverse range of training experiences in both urban and rural environments across metropolitan and outer-metropolitan Sydney and within the New England/Northwest region of NSW. Our mission GP Synergy s mission is To train highly skilled medical practitioners contributing to healthier communities. Providing a supportive and quality learning environment is a shared value amongst all GP Synergy medical educators, supervisors and training practices. GP Synergy s highly regarded reputation as a leading provider of general practice education and training is a testament to our ongoing commitment to helping doctors build the skills to develop into a confident and highly qualified general practitioners. Our vision is to: provide high quality general practice education and training build capacity by supporting and developing quality teaching environments centered on general practice promote the privileges, responsibilities and diverse career opportunities of general practice develop internal processes and resources to ensure that the organisation learns and grows. Our organisation is underpinned the following values: collaboration integrity equity leadership commitment to excellence in life-long learning. GP Synergy hospital GP registrar workshop 2

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6 GP Synergy Annual Report Our training regions In GP Synergy offered vocational and prevocational training opportunities across our urban and rural training regions. Urban training region GP Synergy s urban training footprint is extensive and diverse, stretching across Sydney from Brooklyn and Hornsby in the north down beyond Campbelltown, Camden and Picton in the south. It includes the northern and southern coastal areas from the Northern Beaches to the Sutherland Shire. From the east coast our region extends west across central and inner western Sydney, through Bankstown, Liverpool and Fairfield local government areas. During the period, over 160 general practices were accredited to provide general practice training across metropolitan and outer-metropolitan Sydney. Within our urban training boundaries, we work with a number of Divisions of General Practice as key stakeholders, including:- Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice Sutherland Division of General Practice Sydney South West GP Link (formerly Macarthur Division of General Practice) Bankstown Division of General Practice Central Sydney General Practice Network General Practice Northside Network Manly Warringah Division of General Practice Northern Sydney General Practice Network South Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice GP Synergy also maintains close ties with the four universities located within GP Synergy s Sydney boundaries the University of Sydney, the University of NSW, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Western Sydney. During the financial year GP Synergy continued to strengthen and build relationships with many of the 18 teaching hospitals located within the Sydney basin in the roll-out of the expanded Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) and other collaborative marketing activities. New England/ Northwest Brooklyn Sydney Central and South/Southwest Hornsby Pennant Hills Dee Why Frenchs Forest Fairfield Liverpool Ryde Abbotsford Canterbury Bankstown Hurstville Chatswood Manly North Mosman Sydney Sydney CBD Leichhardt Woollahra Bondi Marrickville Randwick Coogee Rockdale Maroubra The Oaks Camden Cambelltown Sylvania Menai Cronulla Sutherland Picton 4

7 In GP Synergy offered vocational and prevocational training opportunities across our urban and rural training regions. New England/ Northwest Gold Coast 1.5 hour flight Sydney Central and South/Southwest Moree Wee Waa Narrabri Warialda Bingara Glen Innes Inverell Armidale Coffs Harbour 2.5 hour drive Manilla Gunnedah Tamworth Werris Creek Sydney 1 hour flight Rural training region GP Synergy s rural training region is located in the New England/Northwest region of NSW. The area remains at the centre of rural medical training development, with a medical school in the regional centre of Armidale and an integrated, modern teaching hospital located in Tamworth. During there were over 25 general practices accredited to deliver vocational GP training in the region. Practices were located across the region in large regional centres and many smaller communities. Locations included Armidale, Bingara, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Inverell, Manilla, Moree, Tamworth, Warialda and Wee Waa. Practices in Inverell and Tamworth were also accredited and provided prevocational training opportunities to junior doctors as part of the PGPPP program. GP Synergy continued to work closely with the local Divisions of General Practice in the area (Barwon Division of General Practice, New England Division of General Practice and Northwest Slopes Division of General Practice) until their amalgamation into the Medicare Local in April Following this amalgamation, GP Synergy extended this working relationship to encompass the newly formed entity. GP Synergy continues to work closely with the local University located within the New England/Northwest region the University of New England to foster and develop interest in rural general practice within the region and explore vertical education learning opportunities. We continue to maintain strong relationships with the two training hospitals in the region Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital and Armidale Hospital. Both sites continued to support procedural skills placements in the period, with Tamworth Hospital also maintaining support for PGPPP placements and rural general practice recruitment activities. 5

8 GP Synergy Annual Report Chair report It is a pleasure to be able to take the opportunity to share with you some of the achievements and the ongoing opportunities that have been part of the year for GP Synergy. The GP Synergy board is made up of highly skilled directors who have all been focused on achieving our vision: To train highly skilled medical practitioners contributing to healthier communities. In March 2012, a strategic plan was developed which articulated that we would commit to: 1. Providing individualised support for all learners and stakeholders: Drawing upon research and evidence to support good practice in advocacy and policy development. 2. Facilitate excellent medical education with contemporary modes of delivery: Provision of core and individualised training supported by a selection of elective modules that facilitate the individual doctors learning interests and aspirations. 3. Creating a workplace that supports, educates and trains all staff to reach their full potential in support of our doctors (supervisors, registrars and PGPPP participants) and stakeholders: Customer service is at the core of our business and we strive to provide tailored professional development to all staff to assist them in understanding the needs of our stakeholders. We have seen the roll-out of videoconferencing equipment to level 1 teaching practices, along with state of the art medical equipment, to assist teaching practices deliver best practice general practice training. Record numbers of registrars have enrolled into our regional training programs and we have also seen record numbers of new supervisors enlisting to become part of the growing education team. The staff are constantly reviewing the what, how, when and why of all that we do and endeavour to ensure all the programs are designed to meet the goals of the company. We appreciate constructive feedback at all times so that improvements can be achieved across the organisation as required. In line with the strategic plan we have also committed funds to redesigning our IT interface with our registrars and supervisors, and look forward to the launch of a new GPRime in early/mid I am now looking forward to more exciting projects and innovations in Dr Charlotte Hespe Chair 4. A system that identifies and uses innovation: We will strive to identify, develop and utilise relevant innovative ideas, ensuring they are adding value and are consistent with our direction and the needs of our stakeholders. There is no doubt that over the board has seen the GP Synergy team work hard to achieving the goals of this strategic plan. GP Synergy Fusion Workshop 6

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10 GP Synergy Annual Report Board directors Dr Charlotte Hespe Chair MB BS (Hons) (Syd), DCH (Lon), FRACGP, FAICD, GCUT (UNDA) 27 December present Dr Charlotte Hespe is chair of the GP Synergy board. She has also previously been the SIGPET chair. Charlotte works as a GP and supervises registrars for GP Synergy and teaches medical students within her group family medical practice in Glebe. She is actively involved with the Royal Australian College of general Practitioners (RACGP) and is currently on the executive council of the NSW/ACT RACGP Faculty board. She was the national coordinator for the RACGP clinical exam and on the Board of Assessment from She is currently head of general practice and primary care research for the Notre Dame Post-Graduate Medical Program in Sydney. Charlotte is also a director on the boards of Inner Western Sydney Medical Local and GP NSW. Charlotte has been a board director since SIGPET s conception in Dr Nada Andric B. MedSci and MB BS (Syd), FRACGP 29 October October 2011 Nada is the General Practice Registrars Association (GPRA) nominee for the GP Synergy board, and completed her GP training with GP Synergy in She currently works at Earlwood General Practice part-time, spending the rest of her time with her two small children. Dr Owen Brookes MB BS (Sydney), FRACGP 1 January October 2011 Dr Owen Brookes is a full-time GP practising in small suburban practice in Engadine in southern Sydney. He has been a practising GP for over 20 years. He is a member of the board of the Sutherland Division of General Practice and a former chair. Owen was a member of the board for IGPE for six years and chairman for three years. 8

11 Assoc Prof Lyn Fragar AO MB BS (USYD), DTM&H (USYD), MPH (USYD), Dip Ag Ec (UNE), FAFPHM, Grad Dip Ornithology (CSU) 2 January present A/Prof Lyn Fragar is the chair of the Hunter New England Local Health District board. She is a senior researcher with the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety, a research centre of the University of Sydney based Moree in northwestern NSW. Lyn has previously been employed as the area medical superintendent overseeing six hospitals in the northwest region. She has also spent nine years working in Papua New Guinea, initially as a medical officer, then as a provincial health officer. In 2002 she was awarded the Order of Australia for pioneering service to rural health care and farm safety issues in Australia. Lyn s other achievements include being awarded the Rotary International Award for Vocational Excellence in 2002, the Australian Medical Association award for The best individual contribution to health care in Australia in 1999, the Lou Ariotti Award for Excellence in Innovative Rural Health Research in 1996, and the Australian Hospital Association National Outreach Award in Assoc Prof Michelle Guppy MB BS, FRACGP, MPH 2 January present Dr Michelle Guppy is an associate professor of general practice at the School of Rural Medicine, University of New England, and conjoint with the University of Newcastle. She is a practising GP in Armidale. Michelle has been involved in rural undergraduate medical education in Armidale since 2003, and prior to that at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Dr Ian Kamerman MB BS, FACRRM, FRACGP, DRANZCOG, DA, ACCAM, Dip CD, SFCD 28 October present Dr Ian Kamerman has been a rural GP trainer for over 10 years. He is a director of GP Synergy, the Rural Doctors Association of Australia and the National GP Supervisors Association. He is a member of the board of Hunter New England Local Health District and a member of the General Practice Council of the NSW Ministry of Health. He is currently chair of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine s (ACRRM) Professional Development Committee and NSW PESCI panel. He is an enthusiastic trainer with an interest in training within a patient centred medical home model and addiction medicine. 9

12 GP Synergy Annual Report Board directors (continued) Dr Jeremy Keh B.Med.Sc. (Hons), MB BS, DCH, FRACGP 8 November present Dr Jacqueline Korner MB BS, DRCOG, MRCGP 28 February present Prof Siaw-Teng Liaw MB BS, Dip Obst, GAICD, PhD, FRACGP, FACHI 1 January present Dr Jeremy Keh is the GPRA nominee on the GP Synergy board. As a recent successful graduate of the RACGP, Jeremy undertook his registrar training through GP Synergy. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 2007, following which he did his junior medical training at Liverpool Hospital, where he was the Resident Medical Officer Association president. He has a keen interest in paediatrics for which he has successfully completed the Diploma in Child Health. Dr Jacqueline Korner is the General Practice National GP Supervisor Association nominee on the GP Synergy board. Jacqueline is a long standing practice principal in Summer Hill and is a supervisor for GP Synergy. She also teaches medical students. Jacqueline has been a director since 20 December Dr Liaw is a professor of general practice at UNSW and director of the Academic General Practice Unit, based at Fairfield Hospital in Sydney. He is a practising GP with extensive experience in using mixed methods research. He has a long-standing interest in the health of Indigenous peoples and is a chief investigator in the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in ehealth and the APHCRI Centre of Research Excellence in Obesity. He is a director of the UNSW Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity as well as a member of the management committee of the UNSW Asia-Pacific Research Centre for ubiquitous healthcare. He is a member of the NSW Health Acute Care Taskforce and the Sydney Integrated Clinical Training Network Advisory Committee. He chairs the RACGP National Research and Evaluation Ethics Committee. Internationally, he is a member of the American Medical Informatics Association International and Ethics Committees as well as is a member of the International Medical Informatics Association Academy Taskgroup. 10

13 Dr Harry Nespolon MB BS, DipRACOG B.Ec LL.B (Hons), FRACGP, FACLM, GCLP, MBA, FAICD 31 October October 2011 Dr Harry Nespolon is chair of the Northern Sydney GP Network, and a board director for GPNSW and the Sydney North Shore and Beaches Medicare Local. He is the principal of two general practices in Sydney. Harry is a former GP Synergy chair. Prof Jennifer Reath MB BS, Dip RACOG, FRACGP, MMed 29 October present Prof. Jenny Reath is the foundation Peter Brennan chair of general practice at the University of Western Sydney (UWS). She has worked for most of her career in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health including as a GP in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in both urban and rural Australia for more than 20 years. She continues as a part-time GP at the Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney where she has worked for over 14 years. Prof. Reath has held a number of intersecting roles across general practice and Indigenous health. Prior to her appointment at UWS she was an associate professor of Indigenous primary health care at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Sydney as well as GP manager of the RACGP s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Unit. Dr Narelle Shadbolt MB BS, FRACGP, MFM (Monash) 8 November present Dr Narelle Shadbolt is the nominee of the University of Sydney on the GP Synergy board. She is a senior lecturer in general practice in the Discipline of General Practice; associate dean student support and head of the discipline of general practice northern for the Sydney Medical School; sub dean and director of the clinical school and Academic General Practice Unit at Hornsby Hospital and in clinical practice at the Hornsby Hospital General Practice Unit. Narelle s special area of interest is the health and well-being of doctors and students, medical education and clinical assessment in primary care. 11

14 GP Synergy Annual Report Governance Company structure GP Synergy Limited is a public company limited by guarantee not having share capital and was incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (New South Wales) on 27 December 2001 under the name of Sydney Institute of General Practice Education and Training Limited. Member organisations may nominate a person to serve as a director on GP Synergy s board subject to successful election at the respective annual general meeting. Nominations open annually in preparation for elections which are generally held late October each year. In 2011, the constitution was amended to stipulate the GP Synergy s board may consist of nine member elected directors, with each director requiring to retire after three year s tenure. Members During members of GP Synergy consisted of: Bankstown Division of General Practice Barwon Division of General Practice, Central Sydney General Practice Network Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice General Practice Northside Network General Practice Registrars Association Manly Warringah Division of General Practice National General Practitioners Supervisor s Association New England Division of General Practice Northern Sydney General Practice Network Northwest Slopes Division of General Practice South Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice Sutherland Division of General Practice Sydney South West GP Link (formerly Macarthur Division of General Practice) University of New England University of Notre Dame University of NSW University of Sydney University of Western Sydney Many of GP Synergy s members are Divisions of General Practice who may have amalgamated into Medicare Locals in April Following these amalgamations, GP Synergy has and continues to extend this working relationship to encompass the newly formed entities. Board sub-committees GP Synergy works closely with a range of stakeholders in our delivery of high quality general practice education and training. One of the ways we do this is through board sub-committees. Education Committee The Education Committee is a sub-committee of the GP Synergy board. Members: Membership includes people from a broad range of medical education expertise and backgrounds, including at least two board members, one of which is appointed by the board to be chair of the committee. The CEO, DoT, medical educators and other staff (by delegation of management) are also members of the committee. The committee also includes registrar and supervisor representatives. Appointment to the committee is for a term of two years, and may be renewed. The Education Committee meets quarterly with the following objectives: To develop and oversee the implementation, delivery and evaluation of GP Synergy s education and training activities, considering and applying: 1. contractual requirements and college standards 2. best practice, innovation and leadership in medical education 3. vertical and horizontal integration of medical education and training 4. GP Synergy s Quality Framework To develop guidelines for, and oversee the implementation of, research activities in relevant medical education and clinical areas by GP Synergy. 12

15 GP Synergy works closely with a range of stakeholders in our delivery of high quality general practice education and training. In , under the chairmanship of board director, Dr Siew-Teng Liaw, the committee has been fundamental in the development and implementation of an education and research strategy, underpinned by a quality framework, that aligns with the strategic goals set by the board. Dr Anne Eastwood, Deputy Director of Training 13

16 GP Synergy Annual Report Governance (continued) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee Following the amalgamation of NEATS and SIGPET, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advisory committee had been formed to ensure input into issues surrounding the relevant services. While the concept was and is excellent, the actual implementation did not always work as desired. To improve the effectiveness of this committee, in 2011 the terms of reference were amended to encourage input from all Aboriginal Medical Services within the geographical regions of GP Synergy that have a structure and provide health services. Members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee include: by default, all Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) that come within the geographical boundary of GP Synergy, that have an operational structure and provide health delivery services (with the exception of an ACCHS that elects to opt out) GP Synergy board director GP Synergy CEO GP Synergy DoT and / or an educator with expertise in Aboriginal health education and training an Aboriginal GP registrar, or if unavailable, a GP registrar who is trained in Aboriginal health a representative of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) other properly constituted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations that apply in writing and are accepted by resolution of the committee the GP Synergy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer. The role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee is to consider the development and delivery of effective education for GP registrars in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health within the Framework for General Practice Training in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. This involves: 1. interpretation of the most effective ways of applying the relevant parts of the RACGP and ACRRM curricula to training in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health incorporating and reflecting local priorities and concerns. 2. examination all of GP Synergy s educational activities and equity programs with a view to ensuring that all recognise and help address the concerns and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a culturally sensitive and appropriate way; 3. establishment of formal and effective relationships between GP Synergy and other organisations and individuals which strive for improvement in the health of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and which facilitate effective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander training; 4. assistance in development and implementation of procedures for the recruitment of GP registrars to work in the Aboriginal Medical Services and to support the cultural mentors who in turn support them. GP Synergy recognises: a. the need for Aboriginal Medical Services to employ registrars who are appropriately sensitive and responsive to the needs of their clients b. the attractiveness of these posts and the training opportunities offered to registrars c. the need to maintain continuity of supply and support. d. guidance and support for GP Synergy s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer in the discharge of her/his duties e. identification for ways in which the needs and the aspirations of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities can be incorporated into the governance and operations of GP Synergy f. to monitor and aim to enhance GP Synergy s compliance with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Framework. 14

17 The role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee is to consider the development and delivery of effective education for GP registrars in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Finance and Audit Committee Members 1 July-28 October 2011: A/Prof Lyn Fragar (Chair), Dr Harry Nespolon, Dr Jacqueline Korner, Dr Charlotte Hespe, Dr Nada Andric. Members 29 October June 2012: A/Prof Lyn Fragar (Chair), Dr Narelle Shadbolt, Dr Jacqueline Korner, Dr Charlotte Hespe, Dr Jeremy Keh. The Finance and Audit Committee meets monthly. The committee is responsible for reviewing the integrity of financial reporting and overseeing the independence of auditors. It primarily focuses on: major judgmental areas; significant adjustments, accounting and financial reporting issues and legal requirements resulting from the audit; compliance with accounting policies and standards, and legal requirements; and analysis of the company s financial performance. Nominations Committee Members 1 July-28 October 2011: Dr Owen Brookes (Chair), Dr Charlotte Hespe, Dr Harry Nespolon and Mr John Oldfield. Members 29 October June 2012: A/Prof Michelle Guppy (Chair), Dr Charlotte Hespe, Dr Jacqueline Korner and Mr John Oldfield. During the financial year the committee met in August 2011, October 2011 and May 2012 The role of the Nominations and Constitutional Review Committee is to assist the board with effective discharge of its responsibilities to establish and maintain the nominations and elections processes under the provisions of the company constitution. The committee is required to review and make recommendations about constitutional matters and oversee the drafting of constitutional amendments as appropriate. The committee also oversees awards programs of GP Synergy. 15

18 GP Synergy Annual Report Governance (continued) Regional Advisory Forums Regional Advisory Forums are subcommittees of the GP Synergy board and subcommittees have been established to represent interested stakeholders within each regional node of GP Synergy. There are three advisory committees Sydney Central, Sydney South/Southwest and New England/Northwest. The role of the Regional Advisory Forums are to consider regional health services and issues in context to primary care training (particularly GP education and training), investigate and report on GP Synergy s influence (potential or real) and performance in these areas. Key areas of focus are: 1. general practice workforce supply and demand issues within the respective node 2. report in GP Synergy s education and training performance within each node 3. report on GP Synergy s performance in responding to relevant regional issues where GP Synergy has or might have influence 4. consider and make recommendation to the GP Synergy board on models of best practice in medical education and workforce development that meet the needs of the region 5. consider and make recommendation to the GP Synergy board on opportunities for collaboration with regional industry stakeholders and organisations with the aim of adding value to medical education, training and medical workforce development in the respective region. Sydney Central Regional Advisory Forum The Sydney Central Regional Advisory Forum met in March Members include representatives from member organisations located within, or spanning across, the Central Sydney region such as universities, Divisions of General Practice/Medicare Locals, National GP Supervisor Association (NGPSA), GP Registrars Association (GPRA), the GP Synergy registrar liaison officer and CEO. Members in attendance at the March 2012 meeting included: Dr Jacqueline Korner (Chair) NGPSA, Ms Jenny Sikorski Northern Sydney General Practice Network Inc, Ms Amanda Jones South Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice, Prof. Simon Willcock University of Sydney, Dr Linda Mann Central Sydney General Practice Network, Mr. John Oldfield GP Synergy. The advisory forum shared updates on current issues and matters of interest related to GP Synergy s training program including distribution of placements in the region, stakeholder communication, Medicare Local developments and GP Synergy membership. Sydney South/Southwest Regional Advisory Forum The Sydney South/Southwest Regional Advisory Forum met in August 2011 and March Members include representatives from member organisations located within, or spanning across, the South/Southwest Sydney region such as universities, Divisions of General Practice/Medicare Locals, National GP Supervisor Association (NGPSA), GP Registrars 16

19 Regional Advisory Forums are subcommittees of the GP Synergy Board and have been established to represent interested stakeholders within each regional node of GP Synergy. Association (GPRA), the GP Synergy registrar liaison officer and CEO. Members in attendance at meetings held in the financial period included: Prof Teng Liaw University of NSW (2), Dr Ashok Chalasani Bankstown General Practice Division Inc (1), Dr Owen Brookes (1), Dr Alison Rose St George Division of General Practice (2), Dr John Stanford (1), Prof Jennifer Reath University of Western Sydney (1). The advisory forum shared updates on current issues and matters of interest related to GP Synergy s training program including distribution of placements in the region, IT platform upgrades, PGPPP program expansion, practice accreditation, Medicare Local developments and GP Synergy membership. The group discussed the ongoing development and implementation of several local strategic initiatives occurring between GP Synergy and stakeholders within the region such as capacity development, expanding Aboriginal Medical Service placements, practice management engagement and outer-metropolitan classification in the Sydney Southwest area. New England/Northwest Regional Advisory Forum The New England/Northwest Regional Advisory Forum met in March Members include representatives from member organisations located within, or spanning across, the New England/Northwest region such as universities, Divisions of General Practice/Medicare Locals, National GP Supervisor Association (NGPSA), GP Registrars Association (GPRA), the GP Synergy registrar liaison officer and CEO. Members in attendance at the March 2012 meeting included: A/Prof Michelle Guppy (Chair) University of New England, A/Prof Lyn Fragar GP Synergy, Dr Roland Loeve North West Slopes Division of General Practice, Dr Cheryl McIntyre Evan St Surgery Inverell, Lynn Saul ACRRM, Mr John Oldfield GP Synergy, Mr Pat Worthing GP Synergy. The advisory forum shared updates on current issues and matters of interest related to GP Synergy s training program including distribution of placements in the region, Rural Generalist Program developments, stakeholder communication, Medicare Local developments, ACRRM fellowship pathway intake and GP Synergy membership. 17

20 GP Synergy Annual Report Chief Executive Officer report For GP Synergy, 2012 marks a decade of active training. We are preparing for the next round of contract negotiations and expect to renew triennial contacts to deliver the Australian General Practice Training program over In preparation for the new contracting period with General Practice Education and Training Limited (GPET), GP Synergy has again been successful in its accreditation as a training provider. The feedback report from GPET notes the high calibre of our training and education program and its administration and governance. This is a reflection of the skills and commitment of our directors, medical education team, management and staff, who are all to be congratulated. As part of our preparations for the new contract period we have undertaken an extensive review of our operations, policy and positioning. Stakeholder surveys and other forms of feedback have informed numerous policy and process changes and how we do things. These changes are aimed at providing more control and support for our registrars, supervisors and training practices. GP Synergy s focus is on meeting the needs of our community through the equitable distribution of training activity and through more emphasis on quality management and improvement of the training programs and their administration. A key initiative of this work has been to modify our term allocation policy and process in ways that will better meet the distribution needs of our region, and to provide registrars and training practices with more control and choice in determining where, and with whom, they train. Self-selection will occur over the latter part of 2012, and in 2013 we hope to report improved distribution and satisfaction as a result of these revised allocation processes. We are delighted to report that our efforts to close the gap and expand placements in Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) have been fruitful. For the first time we established active general practice placements across all accredited AMS facilities within our region. We have been working with our highly productive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Sub-committee in the development of a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and related projects. I wish to acknowledge Val Dahlstrom, our Aboriginal Liaison Officer, and all the CEOs and practice managers of our AMS facilities within our region for their active involvement, goodwill and support to make this committee so successful. No doubt we will continue to strive forward in This year we also launched the Dr Jeremy Bunker Outstanding Achievement Award in memory of the late Dr Jeremy Bunker who passed away in May This annual award is announced each November and recognises outstanding achievement by a GP Synergy registrar, supervisor, staff member or alumni member. I congratulate Dr Eloise Warren, the winner in November 2011 for her contribution to the development, and ongoing involvement, with an Indigenous Health Clinic in Bathurst NSW. We have also initiated the General Practice Registrar Award and in November 2011 this was presented to Dr Vanessa Jones for the highest overall mark in the fellowship exams. We congratulate Vanessa for this exemplar result. In closing I wish to acknowledge the directors, our management team, medical educators and staff for their contributions. Led by our highly experienced and skilled Chair, Dr Charlotte Hespe, our board of directors continually demonstrates the highest standards of governance in the oversight of GP Synergy. We have benefited greatly as a result. I thank A/Prof. Rosa Canalese for her incredible work as Director of Training (DoT). Rosa has proven to be invaluable to this organisation and I have great regard for her work and as a person. Rosa leads a skilled medical education team and their combined efforts are evident in the quality of the training program and high calibre of doctors that it processes. I wish to thank the whole management team; Kate Froggatt who manages our marketing, communications, and events; Dianne Hill and Pat Worthing who are our regional business managers and Pat in his capacity as chief financial officer; Dr Anne Eastwood for her deputy DoT role in support of Rosa and the training program, and Dr Graham Lee who heads up the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP). 18

21 One of the most enjoyable aspects of working in GP Synergy is our team ethos and this is demonstrated by all on a daily basis. To our highly valued and skilled administrative staff, I thank you sincerely for your efforts in One of the most enjoyable aspects of working in GP Synergy is our team ethos and this is demonstrated by all on a daily basis. You make our workplace a productive and enjoyable environment. And to all our training practice staff and supervisors, we thank you once again for such commitment and dedication to the training program. You are the front line in general practice training and an extension of our business. We thank you for your efforts in and look forward to another year working with you. John Oldfield Chief Executive Officer GP Synergy registrar 19

22 GP Synergy Annual Report Director of Training report Coming to the director of training position in July 2011, I knew that I was taking on a challenging role given that the second of two mergers that now make GP Synergy the largest RTP in NSW, had occurred not long beforehand. It was a welcome relief to know that the program was being capably managed by Acting Director of Training, Dr Linda Mann, and I thank Linda for taking on this position and for her assistance in transitioning me into the role. I would also like to thank the team of medical educators for their warm welcome and wonderful support; they are an exceptionally dedicated and talented team who are an integral component to the delivery of the quality education and training program that has become a hallmark of training with GP Synergy. The Medical Education (ME) team has seen some changes over the last 12 months, especially in New England/Northwest (NE/NW) region. We farwelled Dr Barb Moritz who led the NE/NW ME team through the mergers and built a strong regional education and training program that continues to thrive. We also saw the departure of medical educators Drs Russell King and Roland Loeve, both of whom continue to be involved with training through clinical teaching visits, educational delivery and GP supervisors. We welcomed to the fold Dr Maree Puxty who brings with her a wealth of experience as a GP educator and trainer. We also welcomed Drs Catherine Casey and Kit Fonseka to the Sydney based ME team. As our numbers in both the rural and general pathway continue to grow the delivery of a quality education and training program remains the focus of the ME team. Over the past 12 months we have been committed to reviewing the education program delivery across the entire region to ensure that there is consistency and that the GP registrar will gain a similar educational experience regardless of where they train in the region. We have started to implement more robust, standardised GP registrar assessment processes and a comprehensive evaluation process that is reviewed by the whole team on a regular basis with the aim of continuous improvement in our program delivery. There has been a strong focus on engaging the ME team in more professional development and research activities and our strong presence at last year s GPET conference through the delivery of presentations and workshops was testimony to this success. The ME team are regularly participating in the monthly journal club and it is anticipated that the upcoming year will see more of the team becoming research active. Our partnership with the University of New South Wales with the co-appointment of a joint research / medical education position continues with Dr Michael Tam, whose research in e-learning and evidence based medicine has resulted in successful presentations both locally and internationally. The research focus also extends to our GP registrar cohort, with GP Synergy hosting the Academic GP Registrar Orientation Workshop in June At this workshop GP Synergy GP registrar Dr Darshana Dave presented her experience, having just completed an academic GP term to a group of novice GP registrar researchers. The academic GP posts continue to be popular with GP registrars with increasing interest being seen each term. The planned appointment of a research officer is expected to provide the needed support across all these emerging and developing research areas for the organisation. Another welcome appointment is Dr Graham Lee in the director of prevocational education and training role. Graham commenced this position in January 2012 in addition to his medical educator role. He has hit the ground running and along with the PGPPP team has taken this program from strength to strength, with increasing trainee numbers and high levels of satisfaction with the training experience being a consistent feature of the feedback surveys. We anticipate that this program will continue to grow and become a key component of training with GP Synergy. A major undertaking in the second term of 2012 was the implementation of the new practice allocation system. The move away from direct placement to allowing GP registrars and practices more flexibility in the timing and location of their training has resulted in a more equitable distribution of GP registrars across the 20

23 Over the past 12 months we have been committed to reviewing the registrar education program delivery across the entire region to ensure that there is consistency...regardless of where they train in the region. entire GP Synergy region and enabled us to increase our training capacity. Not surprisingly there has been a huge learning curve for all involved in this process, but overall it has been seen as positive move forward. On a final note, it has been my pleasure to host a number of international visitors at GP Synergy. We have had visits from the Ministry of health in China and primary care clinicians from both India and Vietnam. The main focus of these visits was to improve the training of primary care clinicians in their countries. They were very interested in how we support and deliver GP training and the role of GPs in the delivery of primary care and public health programs in Australia. Rosa Canalese Director of Training GP Synergy registrar 21

24 GP Synergy Annual Report Director of Prevocational Education and 2012 marks the second year of GP Synergy delivering the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP). The program had a strong start under the previous leadership of Drs Jeremy Bunker and Linda Mann, and 2012 has seen the program expanding and establishing itself as an important part of GP Synergy s vertically integrated approach, supporting general practice as a valuable career path for medical students, prevocational doctors, and registrars. GP Synergy s PGPPP is a large training program that covers all our training regions, and supports junior doctors from 10 hospital networks. Total yearly PGPPP junior doctor participants have risen from 45 in 2011, to 64 in 2012, with projected for Our training practices in the same period have doubled from 10 to 20, with a wide diversity of practice styles across our training regions, including rural and regional practices, an academic GP unit, and smaller doctor owned surgeries, to larger multi-site corporate run medical centres. Such a variety of practice styles allow GP Synergy to offer clinical exposure to the whole range of general practice medicine. Feedback from junior doctors has shown high levels of satisfaction, not only helping many consider or reconsider general practice as a career, but also appreciate the important role of primary health care. Above all, junior doctors have reported how they have thoroughly enjoyed the range and variety of patient presentations, often debunking commonly held myths that general practice is just about coughs and colds. Whilst the in-practice clinical experience is the mainstay of PGPPP training, GP Synergy continues to develop and expand a comprehensive education program that supports and complements the clinical exposure. We continue to deliver an extensive preterm commencement and term orientation program, access to registrar day release workshops and end of term wrap-up has also seen the introduction of two PGPPP specific workshops per term delivered via videoconference that allows our junior doctors to participate in case presentations, sharing the variety of clinical experience across our regions. To facilitate this education activity, each PGPPP training practice has been set up with a high definition VC240 videoconferencing unit. Future education planning includes developing a weekly online module for PGPPP junior doctors. In addition, GP Synergy will look to further expand a community visits program to allow junior doctors to visit allied health and Aboriginal Medical Services to further promote the team based approach to general practice medicine. Other program developments in 2012 include: Introduction of PGPPP specific supervisor workshops. Meet and Greet series, that enabled feeder hospital staff to visit their aligned training practices. Updated practice manual Quarterly newsletter Participation in NSW RTP marketing events at participating hospital networks New promotional brochures 2012 has also seen some new staffing changes with GP Synergy s PGPPP team: Dr Graham Lee joined the team as the new DPET in January 2012 and continues to be a medical educator for the registrar training program; Jani Mal was promoted to PGPPP program manager; Lexi Kyle moved from GP Synergy events and marketing to take up the PGPPP support officer role; and Lucy Adams added PGPPP rural practice support to her current administrative portfolio. GP Synergy is well placed to continue delivering a high quality PGPPP experience. Dr Graham Lee Director of Prevocational Education and Training 22

25 Training report GP Synergy 2012 PGPPP network NETWORK HOSPITALS IN NETWORK TRAINING PRACTICES 1 Royal Prince Alfred, Balmain and Dubbo Hospitals Hyde Park Medical 2 Bankstown, Campbelltown and Bowral Hospitals AllCare Carnes Hill, Hammondville and Wattlegrove. General Practice for Children and Young Families. 3 Concord, Canterbury and Broken Hill hospitals Excel Medical 4 Liverpool, Fairfield and Tweed Hospitals Total Care Cabramatta 5 Royal North Shore, Ryde, Port Macquarie and Greenwich Hospitals Cremorne Family Medical Centre, Strathfield Family Medical Centre. 6 Hornsby, Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals Hornsby GP Unit 8 St George, Sutherland and Griffith Hospitals Picton Family Medical Practice 9 Prince of Wales and Lismore Hospitals UNSW Health Service 10 St Vincents and Wagga Wagga Hospitals Kings Cross Traveller s Clinic 12 Tamworth, Armidale and John Hunter Hospitals Northwest Health Tamworth, Evans Street Surgery Inverell. Dr Michelle Thurston during her PGPPP term with supervisor Dr Liz Marles 23

26 GP Synergy Annual Report Staff GP Synergy s staff s expertise and dedication underpin our organisation s success. At the end of the financial year just under 50 staff were employed by GP Synergy across our four office locations. Staff changes saw some significant staff changes, such as the appointment of A/Prof Rosa Canalese in the Director of Training (DoT) role, formerly held by the respected Dr Jeremy Bunker who passed away from cancer in May With over 18 years of medical education experience, Rosa has brought to the role a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm. Whilst her most recent position prior to her GP Synergy appointment was heading the Medical Education Unit as Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning at the University of Notre Dame, her previous senior medical educator roles with the RACGP training program and the Institute of General Practice Education enabled her to hit the ground running, with a solid understanding of the intricacies of the GP training environment. Members of the GP Synergy medical education team 24

27 GP Synergy s staff s expertise and dedication underpin our organisation s success. In line with PGPPP program growth, the PGPPP department was also expanded to include the appointment of PGPPP support officer roles in Sydney and New England/Northwest, to support program. During the period, GP Synergy medical educator Dr Graham Lee replaced Acting DoT and Acting Director of Prevocational Education & Training (DPET) Dr Mann in the DPET role. Graham has been instrumental in the leading his department in the expansion of training places and training capacity across our regions. In 2011 Dr Michael Tam continued in the collaborative joint lecturer position between GP Synergy and the UNSW School of Public Health and Community Medicine. The two year position involves teaching in both the undergraduate medical program at UNSW and vocational education at GP Synergy. During his tenure Michael has developed an extensive online learning module on Evidence Based Medicine, and successfully submitted an abstract in conjunction with GP Synergy Medical Educator Dr Anne Eastwood to present at the highly acclaimed AMEE Conference in Leon, France on The use of web 2.0 tools to build e-learning modules. Other medical education staff changes during the period included the departure of New England/Northwest Regional Education Director, Dr Barb Moritz, and medical educators Drs Roland Loeve, Soheyl Aran and Russell King. During the same period, we were joined by medical educators Dr Maree Puxty, Dr Catherine Casey, Dr Kit Foneska and return of Dr James Best. Administrative changes included the appointment of a new accreditations & quality assurance officer, marketing & events coordinators and training coordinator. During this period a rural support officer, dedicated to providing pastoral and networking support for prevocational and vocational trainees in rural locations, was also appointed. Staff networking and development In addition to internal staff meetings within, and between, departments and offices, each year GP Synergy holds bi-annual staff meetings where all staff are invited to attend. Members of the GP Synergy administration team In , two company wide staff networking and development workshops were held - one in October 2011 and another in March Each workshop covers different themes, with the the focus of the first day on topical education and training issues, and the second day dedicated to professional development activities. During the financial year, two additional events were held for specifically for administrative staff. At the first of these events, held in Liverpool in October, the focus was the development of an etiquette guide for use by staff, and cultural skills training. The second event, held in Armidale in April, examined customer service training issues and IT developments, as well as a familiarisation of the New England/ Northwest region to build staff awareness. In addition to these events, the GP Synergy medical education team hold monthly journal clubs as a form of professional development knowledge sharing. Other key staff developments during this time included the development of a medical educator grading scale and staff involvement in several charitable fundraising activities such as the 100km Oxfam Trailwalk and Biggest Morning Tea. 25

28 GP Synergy Annual Report Training practice support and development Training practices As of 30 June 2012, approximately 190 practices were accredited by GP Synergy to train vocational doctors with 15 of these accredited to train prevocational doctors. Across our region, 163 practices of these practices were located in Sydney and 27 in New England/ Northwest NSW. Supervisor professional development program To support supervisors in their education and training of GP registrars, GP Synergy continues to provide a comprehensive supervisor professional development program. The program is built on a matrix of resources for GP supervisors which includes education designed to increase knowledge of the general practice curriculum and GP Synergy education program, as well as explore and promote methods of clinical teaching. In the period GP Synergy hosted several educational workshops for supervisors across our training regions. A highlight of this program was the annual GP supervisor development weekend on The art, science and technology of supervision which examined strategies to manage challenging patients, a back to basics science and practice of wellbeing session, and the utilization of current and emerging technologies in the teaching armamentarium. Held on the NSW Central Coast, the workshop was attended by GP Synergy supervisors from both Sydney and New England/Northwest. Led by GP Synergy s medical education team, the workshop featured a range of hands on practical sessions where supervisors could explore new concepts and acquire new skills. The supervisor professional development program also included workshops held in each of our three regions in Chippendale, Liverpool and Armidale. Workshop, three of these events were held during the period. The workshop cover fundamentals of teaching and continue to be highly evaluated by new and existing supervisors who appreciate the refresher and opportunity to engage in small group activities with their peers. Teaching practice resource grant equipment In 2011 GP Synergy made a successful submission for a teaching practice resource grant which saw training practices able to make application for a range of equipment including dermatoscope sets, diagnostic otoscopes, f/tip P/Oximeter alarm and pulse; and spirometers. Also included in the teaching practice resource grants were executive style videoconference endpoint systems. These systems were gifted to all Level 1 teaching practices and featured the Scopia VC240 system enabling webinar conferencing (like illuminate) with all the benefits of a high definition executive video conference system. The systems can be used as a standalone endpoint or as an extension for a PC or laptop to provide webinar capabilities utilising the monitor, encoding software and high definition camera. Registrar in-practice supervision satisfaction In a study commissioned by GPET undertaken by Piazza Consulting in May 2012, community based GP registrars were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with the quality of teaching and advice provided by their supervisor. 95% of general pathway registrars surveyed were satisfied or highly satisfied, with 100% of rural pathway respondents satisfied or highly satisfied with the quality of teaching and advice. To enable supervisors to meet the requirement to attend a GP Synergy Clinical Teacher Training GP Synergy supervisor Dr Vicki Howell with GP registrar Dr Amanda Johnson 26

29 As of 30 June 2012, approximately 190 practices were accredited by GP Synergy to train vocational doctors with 15 of these accredited to train prevocational doctors 27

30 GP Synergy Annual Report Training practice support and development (continued) Supervisor feedback In 2011 GP Synergy launched the inaugural supervisor feedback survey as one method to collect supervisors feedback about key areas of the training program and delivery. This included term placement processes, communication, professional development activities, support, IT and other areas. The results of the 2011 survey were generally positive however it identified improvements were required to be made to GP Synergy s online training management system GPRime. As a result of this feedback, the supervisors GPRime interface was given a make-over to help improve navigation and functionality for supervisors as an interim measure until the second version of the platform is released. As part of these improvements, the practice profile page was also enhanced to provide practices a more effective tool to promote their training facility to registrars. Feedback collected in the survey was also used to form the development of the GP supervisor professional development program and to make improvements in communication and other areas of the organisation. The feedback survey will form an annual feedback collection tool. Practice manager engagement To provide added support and improved advocacy for practice managers in training facilities, in May 2012 GP Synergy appointed Ralph Belshaw in a newly created Practice Manager Liaison Officer position. In this role Ralph is responsible for advocating for the individual and collective needs of practice managers within GP Synergy s training network; informing policy, systems and process development to enhance practice environment for the purposes of general practice training; and establishing professional development forums that are relevant to the practice manager s involvement in general practice training, including their interface with GP Synergy s business systems and processes. GP Synergy also continued its practice manager workshop program as a vehicle for improving communication between practices and training requirements, holding two events in the period. This included a workshop in Liverpool focusing on cross cultural training and a workshop in Tamworth where the focus was on administrative processes and identifying ways to improving communication between the organisation and training practices. Supervisors at GP Synergy s Clinical Teacher Training Workshop GP Synergy registrar Dr Nancy Yiin with GP supervisor Dr Martin Danke 28

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32 GP Synergy Annual Report Training competent and confident registrars Training capacity GP Synergy is the second largest provider of vocational general practice training in Australia. For the 2012 Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, GP Synergy offered a total of 114 training places 26 rural pathway and 88 general pathway. As at 30 June 2012, over 300 registrars were actively training with GP Synergy. Fellowship outcomes In the financial year 70 GP Synergy registrars successfully reached their Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) fellowship aspirations. To assist registrars prepare for these exams GP Synergy continued to offer its popular exam preparation series, featuring a combination of written and clinical interactive workshops. After the success of the 2011 pilot, an online exam component was added as a core component of this exam preparation activity, improving access for registrars in rural locations. GP Synergy continues to offer registrars training in the rural pathway opportunities to train towards Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM) with two registrars currently enrolled in this program. Fellowship award achievements The recipient of this award for the term was GP Synergy GP registrar, Dr Aishah Moore. Past award winners have included former GP Synergy registrars Dr Cheryl Cheong in 2011, Dr Julia Menzies in 2010 and Dr John Cass-Verco in Dr Jeremy Bunker and GP registrar excellence awards In 2011, two new awards were established. The first award was developed in recognition of the contribution made to GP training and general practice by GP Synergy s inaugural Director of Training, the late Dr Jeremy Bunker. The Dr Jeremy Bunker Outstanding Achievement Award identifies and acknowledges an outstanding achievement of staff, supervisors, registrars or former trainees who have completed general practice training within the past three years. The 2011 recipient of this award was GP registrar Dr Eloise Warren, for her development and ongoing involvement in an Indigenous health clinic in Bathurst. The second award was the Outstanding Academic Achievement by a Registrar Award. This award recognizes the achievements of the GP Synergy registrar who completed the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) fellowship exam with the highest overall score each calendar year. In 2011, the recipient of this award was general pathway registrar Dr Vanessa Jones. For the fourth consecutive year a GP Synergy registrar was awarded the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Tony Buhagiar Memorial Medal. This medal is awarded to the exam candidate who passed all three RACGP fellowship examinations on their first attempt and received the highest clinical fellowship exam score in the state. Recently fellowed GP Synergy GP registrar, Dr John Barry 30

33 GP Synergy is the second largest provider of vocational general practice training in Australia. As at 30 June 2012, over 300 registrars were actively training with GP Synergy. GP Synergy Fellows Remeek Abdulla Gavin Alison Alphonsus Amalakumar Nada Andric John Barry Ai Bui Hera Chan Vincent Chang Pei Chen Cheryl Cheong Tania Chin Simone Craig Amanda Crew Carla Croaker Mira Drakos Sabina Dulic Penelope Elix Alexandra Fletcher Andrew Habig Katherine Hogg Viviene Hung Amal Ibrahim Gillian Jones Kate Kelso Aradhna Khanna James Koutis Ying Lan Khac Le Rebecca Lee Renate Liong Richard Loizou Kenneth Mackun Anand Mahadev Vindan Manomohan Crystal McKeough Farah Meher-Homji Nafi Musa Hanady Nasreddin Andrew Newman Jenny Nguyen-Lam Julian Northover Krishna Perera Nam Pham Charles Piao Olga Poutalina Edwina Pritchard Matthew Rathjen Anusha Ravendendran Denisa Robinson Shannon Saad Shanah Salter Joseph Santos Sanjala Sharma Shereena Sinnayah Ancuta Slimovschi Cynthia Spiers Krishna Sura Myra Tan Akito Tomita Steven Tongson Belinda Tosi Zhanna Tsukanova Kylie Vuong Yvonne Wang Elly Warren Victoria Wilkinson Adrian Wong Kit Wong Wicky Wong Chih-Yueh Yang 31

34 GP Synergy Annual Report Training competent and confident registrars (continued) GP registrar education During the period GP Synergy delivered 72 workshops for its registrars, providing a variety of learning opportunities across all stages of training. General pathway registrars in GPT1&2 terms attend educational activities in the GP Synergy office closest to their practice location (i.e. either Chippendale or Liverpool) to ensure relationships with local healthcare services and networks are maximised. Rural pathway registrars attend most educational events within the New England/Northwest region with the exception of joint pathway educational activities such as the Fusion workshop, held in Sydney. The GP Synergy registrar education program continues to be highly valued and evaluated by its participants. In the 2012 registrar satisfaction survey commissioned by GPET, undertaken by Piazza Consulting, 98% of community based registrars were either highly satisfied or satisfied with the quality of educational content, presenters, suitability and diversity of educational workshops delivered by GP Synergy. The program is reviewed annually and mapped against college curriculums. Feedback is collected regularly from participants to ensure relevance and quality standards continue to be achieved. Highlights of the program included the combined GP Synergy, General Practice Training valley to coast & North Coast GP Training Fusion Workshop featuring three days of lectures from specialists and other clinicians, and a fourth hands on practical skills day with interactive sessions on musculoskeletal medicine, surgical skills, wound management, plastering and implanon insertion, The Pre-GPT1 Assessment, introduced initially only for rural pathway registrars and then extended to general pathway registrars, continues to be highly regarded by registrars. The assessment allows registrars to reflect on the differences in the consultation styles of the hospital and GP environment, and target their preparation prior to entering a GP term. Registrar Medical Educator To foster interest in medical education in general practice, GP Synergy has supported Registrar Medical Education positions for many years. During the financial year, this position was held by rural pathway GP registrar Dr Jenny Morrison, who developed an education program for rural pathway registrars in hospital based terms. To meet the educational needs of hospital based registrars training in hospitals across Australia, a case based program was developed, distributed monthly electronically to registrars for review by the Registrar Medical Educator. Online education resources During a number of online educational resources were made available to registrars. This included the upgrade of GP Synergy s written pre-exam workshop into online modules by Dr Vanessa Moran and establishment of a Facebook group where registrars can access weekly cases and interactive dialogue with peers. An Aged Care and Evidence Based Medicine online learning module were also added to the registrar education program, and registrars, supervisors and PGPPP doctors were also provided access to the online Therapeutic Guidelines and Australian Medicines Handbook. 32

35 The GP Synergy registrar education program continues to be highly valued and evaluated by its participants. ADF registrars GP Synergy remains one of the largest trainers of Australian Defence Force (ADF) GP registrars, training 18 ADF GP registrars in various stages of training during the period. As these registrars have unique training requirements, GP Synergy has developed and adopted a multidisciplinary management model to oversee the training of this group. Interest in this model has been shown by other RTPs such as Northern Territory GP Training (NTGPE) and Central and Southern Queensland Training Consortium (CSQTC) who invited the staff member responsible for overseeing management of this group, Felicity Gemmell- Smith to present and share our approach with their staff. Felicity also presented the model at the National GPET conference and the Australian Military Medicine Association conference. Through the efforts of Felicity and GP Synergy DoT, Rosa Canalese, strong and positive working relationships with the ADF and RACGP have been developed to the benefit of the ADF registrars training in our region. ADF GP Synergy registrar Dr Joel Hissink on deployment in Pakistan (Photo courtesy of the Australian Defence Force) 33

36 GP Synergy Annual Report Training competent and confident registrars (continued) Procedural training GP Synergy continues to be seen as a leading provider of procedural skills training, offering places under the NSW Rural GP Procedural Training Program and more recently, the NSW Rural Generalist Training Program. GP Synergy maintains close relationships with Tamworth and Armidale Hospitals to offer training in the areas of anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, emergency medicine and mental health. With the launch of the NSW Rural Generalist Training Program in the first half of 2012, GP Synergy has and continues to work closely with HETI, the Hunter New England Local Health District and General Practice Training valley to coast, to ensure that both programs flourish in our regions. In the period, GP registrars filled posts in anaesthesia, obstetrics, emergency medicine and mental health, with anaesthesia and obstetrics posts filled until the end of Registrar Liaison Officer Between , GP Synergy registrar Dr Shamini Ramoo was the Registrar Liaison Officer (RLO) for GP Synergy registrars. In this role, she was responsible for advocating on behalf of GP Synergy registrars and representing them at the RTP management level. Alumni program Forming part of GP Synergy s succession planning strategy, the GP Synergy Alumni Program continued in with former registrars invited to attend a number of educational events. The GP Synergy alumni website continues to be used by practices as a promotional platform to advertise general practitioner vacancies and businesses for sale. In 2012 the Emergency Department of Tamworth Regional Referral Hospital has been able to offer the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) Certification in Emergency Medicine to our current emergency medicine procedural trainee. Rural support for rural registrars In 2011 GP Synergy appointed a full-time rural support officer dedicated to providing practical on the ground and pastoral assistance to registrars during their rural training. This includes relocation assistance, development of social and professional support networks, counselling and pastoral support, etc. Dr Sascha Sarahov during his anaesthesia advanced rural skills placement in Armidale 34

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38 GP Synergy Annual Report Aboriginal health GP Synergy recognises that too many Aboriginal people experience unacceptable levels of disadvantage. Our goal is to develop mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginals by building a culturally diverse health workforce and by raising the awareness of all our stakeholders about the unique cultural history that Aboriginal people enjoy, particularly in our regions. During the financial period, GP Synergy employed several different strategies towards reaching this goal. Remote AMS supervision model The major impediment to registrars working in the AMS system is the lack of supervision available. In May of this year both GP Synergy and the AH&MRC indicated an interest in setting up a system of remote supervision. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health curriculum working group As part of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Committee board sub-committee a working group has been established to review and map the RACGP & ACRRM curriculums against the GP Synergy education program. Registrar education Aboriginal health continues to be a core part of the registrar education program with sessions collaboratively delivered with local Aboriginal Medical Service staff and community. Where possible, these sessions are held at local AMS facilities within our regions. While the two programs had the same aims and objectives, the methods to achieve them were entirely different. One hoped to provide the services through a regional roaming program where one person was available to provide the supervision and the other provided the services through either local GP or within local driving distances. Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service (Moree), Armajun Aboriginal Medical Service (Inverell) and Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service have all become actively involved in the remote supervision program using either local doctors or doctors from nearby towns. For Pius X and Armajun AMS, this model enabled registrars to be able to train in these facilities for the first time. Armajun Aboriginal Medical Service 36

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40 GP Synergy Annual Report Expanding the general practice profession Intake For the 2012 training year, GP Synergy offered 26 rural pathway training places and 88 general pathway training places. This was an increase from 20 rural pathway training places and 83 general pathway training places available in GP Synergy rural pathway training places and number filled Program (NEATS) 2010 Program 2011 Program 2012 Program (GP Synergy) (GP Synergy) (GP Synergy) Training places Places filled Linear (Places filled) GP Synergy general pathway training places and number filled Program (NSIGPET) 2010 Program 2011 Program (GP Synergy) (GP Synergy + IGPE) 2012 Program (GP Synergy) Training places Places filled Linear (Places filled) In line with the increases in training places, GP Synergy has continued to increase the number of training places filled, with 24 of the 26 training places filled in the rural pathway and all of the 88 general pathway training filled in In the rural pathway in particular, these figures represent a significant increase from 2009 when the number of training places filled was 10. Nationally, the challenge remains attracting Australian Medical Graduates (AMGs) into the rural pathway. For the 2012 program, 73% of AMG applicants selecting general pathway, compared with only 27% selecting rural pathway (a decrease from 36% in 2011). Selection In 2011, the selection process for the 2012 AGPT program changed to a nationally consistent format whereby applicants are required to attend an assessment centre and participate in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) and a written Situational Judgement Test (SJT). GP Synergy played an instrumental role in the collaborative running of these centres with the other five NSW RTPs. Promotion and engagement To encourage and foster an interest in general practice as a career, and to undertake GP training within our regions, GP Synergy has a comprehensive marketing activity plan to ensure exposure across a range of target audiences such as medical students and prevocational doctors. This program includes working closely with GP Student Network (GPSN) clubs and medical societies at universities located within our boundaries; meaningful engagement with prevocational doctors through programs such as the GP registrar/prevocational doctor education program and PGPPP; as well as participation in the NSW RTP marketing collaborative. In GP Synergy s print marketing communications material were updated and refreshed, featuring images and testimonials from real registrars and supervisors currently training and teaching within our regions. A specific rural pathway training guide was developed, in addition to a PGPPP and medical student brochure. Improving the look and content of our communication was a key focus of These improvements included an refresh to our promotional print publications and internal and external communications. A staff Netiquette Guide was developed with input from all staff to guide correspondence content and style; a comprehensive communications strategy was developed to accompany the roll-out of the new term placement process; and the GP Synergy Applicant Pack for prospective applicants was also updated. 38

41 GP Synergy Limited (A.B.N ) Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2012 Financials Director s Report 40 Declaration of Auditor Independence to the Directors of GP Synergy Ltd 44 Independent Audit Report to the Members of GP Synergy Ltd 45 Directors Declaration 47 Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 30 June Statement of Changes in Equity for the year ended 30 June Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended 30 June Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June