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General Practice Training - Valley to Coast Regional Training Provider. GP training, postgraduate,vocational,Newcastle,The Hunter Valley,Central Coast,Manning,New South Wales.
  

Overview

Valley to Coast provides the opportunity to train for the full spectrum of general practice from inner city practice to rural and remote practice. We are able to offer specific training for rural general practice in conjunction with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine in order to obtain the Fellowship of ACRRM (FACRRM) and in conjunction with the Rural Faculty of the RACGP in order to obtain the Fellowship of Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP), previously known as the Graduate Diploma in Rural General Practice (GradDipRural). See also Rural Training.

Valley to Coast also provides specific training posts for major procedural disciplines in the areas of Anaesthetics, Obstetrics, Emergency Medicine and also Mental Health. This is funded by NSW Health to provide fully funded supernumerary training posts for GPs and GP registrars in regional hospitals. Posts are available for both full-time and part-time training, and are designed both for the initial acquisition of skills and for upskilling by means of short flexible attachments.  See Overview of Procedural Training Program.

The training opportunities in this region are comprehensive. Hospital experience ranges from tertiary hospitals, to district and base hospitals, to small country hospitals. There is a wide range of RMO terms plus ample opportunity to do extended skills in a variety of disciplines. This includes Academic Posts if you are interested in research and teaching. Please contact us for further information. Please note that there are also specialist training programs in the region if that is your partner's career choice.

General Practice terms in this region cover a broader range of experiences than in capital city locations. There are urban teaching practices in both the Newcastle region and the Central Coast, plus a wide variety of rural teaching practices, some of which offer the chance to manage your patients in local GP-run hospitals. There are regular training workshops held in Newcastle which offer the opportunity to meet with other registrars and learn from local specialists, GPs, University and Area Health staff. We also run a very popular GP Club.

Training with General Practice Training - Valley to Coast can provide you with the skills you need to practice anywhere in Australia. This region is also a great place to settle and there are plenty of job opportunities.

Hospital Terms

The region has teaching hospitals (with specialty training available also), regional hospitals plus smaller country hospitals. 

RMO terms are available with the Hunter New England Area Health Service (rotations to John Hunter, Mater Calvary, Belmont District, Maitland, James Fletcher Psychiatric and Tamworth Base Hospitals) and the Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service (rotations to Gosford, Wyong and Manning District Hospitals).

Extended Skills Post

There are a large number and variety of potential posts including: dermatology, psychiatry, community psychiatry, O&G, paediatrics, palliative care, sexual health, anaesthetics, geriatrics, drugs and alcohol, Aboriginal health, Academic posts plus others.

Extended Skills in General Practice

A wide range of general practices are able to take registrars at this level of training. See List of Potential Posts.

Aboriginal Medical Services

Posts are available at Awabakal (Newcastle), Tobwabba (Forster), Biripi (Taree) and Werin (Port Macquarie). They are  available for GP Term 3, Extended Skills and ARSP posts.

GP Terms available in the Region

There are a variety of practices that are accredited for GP Term 1, 2 and 3 on the Central Coast and in the Newcastle area (classified RA 1). Rural towns (classified RA 2) with accredited teaching practices for GP Term 1, 2 and 3 include Scone, Muswellbrook and Singleton (Hunter Valley); Gloucester, Taree and Wingham (Manning Region) and Port Stephens and Cessnock. If registrars wish to complete their rural commitment during an Extended Skills in General Practice term then the available locations are potentially greater.

Process regarding registrar term placements

Hospital terms

These are organised by registrars in negotiation with the relevant hospital employer

GP terms 1, 2 and 3
  • These must be in accredited practice

  • No more than 12 months should be spent in one practice except in extenuating circumstances

GPTVTC aims to allow registrars to access training experiences within general practice that are appropriate to their stage of training and learning needs. In addition we aim to allow as much flexibility for both registrars and practices within the constraints of training needs (learning needs, college standards or GPET policies). Our priority is to try to match all registrars and all practices as fairly and appropriately as possible. To achieve this, we are occasionally not able to accommodate both supervisor and registrar preferences, although we make every attempt to do so.

The process is as follows:

  • Each six months practices are approached to ascertain the current availability of places

  • Registrars are informed of practice availability (location, level of accreditation, part-time or full time)

  • A time period is allowed for registrars to approach practices and it is recommended they seek interview with several practices

  • Both practices and registrars then submit a list of preferences

  • Practices are asked not to make direct offers/promises to registrars prior to the completion of this proces

  • The preferences are matched by the placement committee (placement officer plus at least two medical educators) which considers preferences and training needs.

    • This generally results in >80% first preferences for both supervisors and registrars. 
       
    • It is not always possible to meet every registrar’s or supervisor’s first preference. If several registrars put the same practice as their first preference then, clearly, they cannot all be placed there. Practice preference will take priority if there is a tied result.

    • If no preferences are submitted by a practice then that place will be allocated on the basis of registrar preferences. Special circumstances may be taken into consideration. 
       
    • If all else is equal, a ballot may be used to allocate places

  • Valley to Coast emails term offers out to registrars. Registrars then have a specified time to finalise negotiations and an employment agreement with this practice.
Extended Skills in general practice
  • There is a list on the web site of practices available for ES.

  • General information on ES is sent to the registrars who contact the placement officer to check re practice availability once GPT1, 2 and 3 are placed.

  • Accredited Practices are requested not to displace a term 1 or 2 registrar with one in Extended Skills but they may take one in addition.