Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor says funding applications are being invited for regional GP training facilities. Mr Taylor has urged eligible local general practices to apply for new Federal grants of up to $300,000 to build facilities to take on more trainee doctors and GP registrars.

“There’s been a lot of interest from local communities in this programme and I am delighted to announce the details.

“Guidelines for the Rural and Regional Teaching Infrastructure Grants programme and an ‘Invitation to Apply’ are now available on the Department of Health’s website at www.health.gov.au/tenders.  Applications close on 23 February 2015.”

Mr Taylor said the Government was committing $52.5 million over the next three years to help regional general practices expand their facilities.

“From before entering parliament, I have been working hard on options to attract and retain GPs into our towns. Under this programme, existing practices can apply for funding to build additional consultation rooms to support and teach medical students and to supervise GP registrars. Successful applicants will be required to match the Commonwealth funding.

“Evidence shows that people often choose to stay and work in areas where they have trained. This investment in infrastructure will not only strengthen the general practice workforce, it will mean more GP registrars and medical students are trained locally.

“The Government’s aim is to establish funding and support programs so that trainee doctors can experience general practice in a rural or regional location, develop an interest in regional medical care and ultimately join the rural health workforce,” Mr Taylor said.

He said the infrastructure programme would be complemented by an increase in Practice Incentives Programme payments from $100 to $200 per session from 1 January 2015, as had been recently announced by Assistant Minister for Health Senator Fiona Nash.

“This will help compensate general practices for increasing the amount of time invested in teaching.”

Mr Taylor said applicants for the Rural and Regional Teaching Infrastructure Grants programme should have appropriate accreditation from a Regional Training Provider to be allocated GP registrars, or be in the process of applying for appropriate accreditation.