Thirteen health professionals – including four general practitioners (GPs) and nine allied health professionals – are helping to ease the effects of workforce shortages in North Queensland after receiving an incentive package funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN).

New Tully Medical Centre Resident Medical Officer Dr Baylie Fletcher is one of those GPs.

“Working in this position has been incredible, and I intend to stay in Tully for as long as I can,” she said.

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Robin Whyte said NQPHN was working to help address the shortage of GPs and allied health professionals in North Queensland's rural and remote communities.

“Workforce is a national conversation, but across our NQPHN catchment area we are working on a variety of local solutions to attract health care professionals,” Ms Whyte said.

“We recognise the workforce shortage is a growing crisis with widespread impact on our communities, and we know general practices and providers are having difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs and primary care staff.

“Our priority is to build our North Queensland primary care workforce capacity and capability to address workforce shortages.”

For the past two years, NQPHN, in partnership with Health Workforce Queensland, has funded incentive packages through the Rural Workforce Enhancement Program, to address allied health professional shortages.

NQPHN recently extended its incentive packages to all primary care professionals in northern Queensland with up to $5,000 in funding available to individual clinicians depending on the profession and region.

Support is available for domestic relocation travel, rental assistance, continuing professional development registration costs, travel, and accommodation, and professional memberships for 12 months.

“We are pleased to extend the packages to all primary care professionals in the NQPHN catchment area, including GPs, and there will be further incentives to attract GPs to the areas with the most critical needs,” Ms Whyte said.

Since the release of the new workforce enhancement campaign in March 2023, the program has placed nine allied health professionals and four GPs in the region, including Tully, Weipa, and Clermont.

“The Tully practice has been able to attract a new GP to service Tully and Mission Beach, given the closure of the practice in Mission Beach,” Ms Whyte said. “We know the incentives are a small step, however, they are having a big impact for the people in our communities, while also relieving some of the pressure for general practices.”

Dr Fletcher loves working and living in the small rural community of Tully.

“The best aspects of my work include the variety, the constant learning, and the sense comradery that comes with this environment,” Dr Fletcher said.

“The main challenge, and it is a good challenge, is related to the new conditions and questions that patients are presenting with day to day, some of which I have not had to deal with working in a hospital.

“The greatest success I’ve had is having patients come back and ask to be a regular patient of mine.

“This means so much to me and makes me so grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. This is the beauty of GP work.”

Health Workforce Queensland Health Workforce Solutions Team Leader Sandra Bukumirovic said making the move to rural North Queensland might be the best decision health professionals could make to progress their career.

“Jobs are challenging, but rewarding, and offer health professionals a variety of presentations in addition to ongoing on-the-job learning, which would ultimately lead to career progression,” she said.

“Rural communities offer a sense of belonging and have the utmost appreciation for the health professionals who look after their health care needs.”

Health Workforce Queensland anticipates more grant uptake in the future, with a “number of potential candidates in the pipeline for existing vacancies”.

Cassowary Coast Council Mayor Mark Nolan said each new health care professional who chose to come to the region was a win.

“It’s great news to have an additional GP in Tully,” he said.

“There is still a lot of work that we need to do to address the health care needs of our community, and this can only be done through collaboration between all levels of government, providers, stakeholders, and the community to seek innovative place-based outcomes.”

Meanwhile, the NQPHN Health Needs Assessment (HNA) 2022-24 demonstrates the need to develop and support the implementation of innovative primary care workforce solutions and new workforce models across North Queensland to respond to the significant primary care workforce shortages.

“Responding to this need, NQPHN has again partnered with Health Workforce Queensland, the University of Queensland, and Mater Research Institute to offer the Virtual Integrated Practice (VIP) model across the North Queensland region,” Ms Whyte said.

“This model incorporates an additional GP into the already-established practice team, who will then visit in-person every six months, at a minimum, to meet and support patients, and then further support the same patients via telehealth.”

More information about the program can be found at www.healthworkforce.com.au/rural-workforce-enhancement-campaign

In a small country town with a shortage of general practitioners (GPs) and other health professionals, a beacon of hope has emerged.

The Tully Medical Centre has a new doctor. Resident Medical Officer Dr Baylie Fletcher now calls Tully home, and she intends to stay.

She simply loves working and living in the small rural community.

For the past three years, Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN), in partnership with Health Workforce Queensland, has funded the Rural Workforce Enhancement Program, which provides incentive packages and other incentives to attract GPs and health professionals to rural and remote areas to help address health professional shortages.

Support is available for domestic relocation travel, rental assistance, continuing professional development registration costs, travel, and accommodation, and professional memberships, among other things, for 12 months.

This year, NQPHN extended the program from allied health professionals to all primary care professionals in the NQPHN catchment area, including GPs, with further incentives to attract GPs to the areas with the most critical needs, such as Tully.

Dr Fletcher was able to move to North Queensland and join the Tully Medical Centre with help from a support package through the program.

“Working in this position has been incredible and Tully is a beautiful little town with plenty to do and outstanding sceneries,” she said. “The incentives associated with the role were an added bonus.

“I think the program is a great idea, particularly in times like now when there are workforce shortages and spots to be filled. I am so grateful for the opportunities that have come from this program and to everyone for their support and making this happen.”

Embracing the community and work has already fostered a deep sense of connection and fulfillment for Dr Fletcher.

“The best aspects of my work include the variety, the constant learning, and the sense comradery that comes with this environment,” she said.

“My aim is to now get on to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) program and ideally continue at Tully Medical Centre. I intend to stay in Tully for as long as I can, until I am required to move as part of training.”

Health Workforce Queensland Health Workforce Solutions Team Leader Sandra Bukumirovic said making the move to rural North Queensland might be the best decision health professionals could make to progress their career.

“Jobs are challenging, but rewarding, and offer health professionals a variety of presentations in addition to ongoing on-the-job learning, which would ultimately lead to career progression,” Ms Bukumirovic said.

“Rural communities offer a sense of belonging and have the utmost appreciation for the health professionals who look after their health care needs.”

Dr Fletcher agrees, and said the greatest gift was when people wanted to become a regular patient.

“This means so much to me and makes me so grateful for the opportunity that I have to make a difference in someone’s life. This is the beauty of GP work,” she said.

“The main challenge, and it is a good challenge, is related to the new conditions and questions that patients are presenting with day to day, some of which I have not had to deal with working in a hospital.”

And as for living in the bush, there’s no place Dr Fletcher would rather be.

“There is plenty to do around Tully and surrounding area, and another perk about Tully is that every single person I have encountered so far has been so welcoming,” she said.

“This includes people from the local IGA, the bakery where I get my morning coffee, the people I work with, and the patients coming into the clinic.”

Health Workforce Queensland employs a variety of attraction and sourcing strategies to match candidates to rewarding careers in North Queensland.

Eligible GP, allied health, and nursing recruits are supported with incentive packages to ease their transition into rural Queensland and help them settle into their new communities.

And there will be more GPs settling into rural and remote communities soon, according to Health Workforce Queensland.

“There are number of potential candidates in the pipeline for existing vacancies, and with the continuation of this valuable program, we expect to continue our support to North Queensland and ensure seamless recruitment processes and relocation of rural health professionals to this beautiful part of the world,” Ms Bukumirovic said.

“The feedback we have received from program recipients has been very positive and the financial support has been appreciated.”

Dr Fletcher said she would recommend the program to other primary and allied health care professionals.

“It is a great way to see and work in a new place, and everyone involved is so helpful and do anything to make the experience go as smoothly as possible from day one,” she said.

Dr Fletcher thanked Tully Medical Centre practice owner and supervisor Dr Kim Favier, and practice managers Deb Boyd and Maria Crema, Health Workforce Queensland regional coordinator Caro Finlay, and More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP) coordinator Rachel Patterson, and Michael Jones who constructed her new office.

“All of the doctors, nurses, and admin staff at Tully Medical Centre have been nothing short of welcoming and made this entire transition very enjoyable,” she said.

Health Workforce Queensland, in partnership with NQPHN, is working to build a sustainable health workforce through the recruitment and retention of general practitioners, nurses, and allied health professionals.

More information about the program can be found at www.healthworkforce.com.au/rural-workforce-enhancement-campaign

Cairns and Townsville general practitioners (GPs) are invited to express their interest for a new information pack that will highlight the provision of health care for refugees, including relevant Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item codes, interpreter services, and culturally responsive approaches.

In recent years, there has been a decline in refugee arrivals to northern Queensland due to the impacts of COVID and travel restrictions. Now that the restrictions have eased, the number of refugees arriving in Cairns and Townsville will increase. 

New arrivals to Cairns and Townsville will undergo health assessments by Queensland Health Refugee Health Nurses. However, they will also require access to GPs for the completion of the initial assessment (medical section) and for their ongoing health needs.

Dr Sneh Tiwari, a GP at Cairns Family Medical Centre, began working with new arrivals soon after arriving in Australia in 2001.

“For the first couple of years, there was no support at all for GPs. I remember researching as to what constitutes a refugee experience and a Refugee Health Assessment,” Dr Sneh said. “Things changed with the advent of the Refugee Health Network and dedicated Refugee Health Nurses.

“Now the process for providing health care to refugees is that new arrivals are seen as soon as possible for any acute problems by the Refugee Health Service, and then an initial health assessment is booked with a GP.”

The initial health assessment involves a time-based health assessment with MBS item numbers 701-707.   

Dr Sneh said for this process, a close collaboration was required between practice staff and the support agency, which looks tends to the logistics of getting the families to and from their appointments.

“I found the initial consultation is mainly education of how the Australian health system worked. For example, what is Medicare, who is a GP, when to dial Triple Zero, how does the prescription work, and so on, while patients on long-term medication would stop taking their regular medications not knowing that they can go back to the chemist with the initial script for the next month’s supply,” she said.

“Working with new arrivals is always challenging but, as hard-working GPs, we all like a challenge. Despite the many complexities and time constraints, I have always found Refugee Health rewarding.

“Now that we have the Refugee Health Network and dedicated nursing support, as well as a practice support team - consisting of the practice manager, receptionist, and practice nurse - providing a service to the new arrivals is much more organised.”

Louise, a receptionist at Aitkenvale Family Health Centre in Townsville, is responsible for liaising between the refugee health nurses, case managers, doctors, and refugees.

“As a practice, we find it runs smoothly when one person takes charge to organise initial appointments, interpreter bookings, and any follow-up appointments required,” she said.

“It’s amazing to watch our refugee patients come out of their shells during their time with us. Despite most of the time not being able to understand one another, the smiles and waving between reception and patients shows that they are comfortable in our practice and feel safe with us.

“We aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary, just treating people with kindness and respect, and without judgement, which is the least everyone deserves.”

The information pack has been developed by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network in partnership with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, and Townsville Hospital and Health Service.

GPs and their teams interested in receiving more information about the provision of health care services to refugees are invited to complete this EOI.

On receiving the EOI, an information package will be forwarded.