31 October 2008

Guaranteed GP training places in NSW Hospitals

Minister for Health, John Della Bosca, said all Australian Government supported graduates in medicine in NSW would continue to be guaranteed clinical places in public hospitals.

“For a long time, NSW Health has had many more intern positions than there were applications from NSW graduate medical students,” Mr Della Bosca said.

“That was a direct result of insufficient medical student places in universities under the previous Commonwealth Government.

“Graduate numbers have turned around and NSW will continue to provide places for all Australian Government supported graduates in medicine in NSW public hospitals.

“This applies to this year’s graduates and through to at least the current cohort who will graduate in 2012,” he said.

Through the Council of Australian Governments communiqué of 14 July 2006, NSW provided this assurance:
The States and Territories have agreed to guarantee to provide high-quality clinical placements and intern training for Commonwealth-funded medical and nursing students.

“I have also written to the Australian Medical Association to provide an additional assurance about the employment future of our graduates,” he said.

The Institute of Medical Education and Training, as the body responsible for the placement and training of interns, has established a steering committee for managing the increase in medical graduate numbers.

This group is developing strategies to support health services to train and supervise these new doctors in their intern year and then accommodate the next step in their career ensuring NSW has a sustainable medical workforce into the future.

“The NSW Government have invested an extra $28.7 million over the past two years on postgraduate medical training,” Mr Della Bosca said.

“We have very substantially increased the number of interns in our hospitals.

“Over the next four years, the Rees Government will invest a minimum of $66 million on postgraduate medical education and training with a further $5.4 million to better support and strengthen the emergency workforce,” he said.

“Commonwealth support for the training and supervision of these junior doctors will be critical in ensuring a sufficient supply of trained specialists in NSW and I am very confident we can work cooperatively with the Rudd Government,” he said.

“It’s a very positive development to at last have a Commonwealth Government that believes in education and training and will provide the support to ensure we have the specialist workforce our hospitals and our community requires.”

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au