Rural GP Locum Program

Host GPs and Locums wanting to participate in the national Rural GP Locum Program (RGPLP) can register their interest with the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN).

For enquiries contact the Locum Service on 02 4924 8000 or email rgplp@nswrdn.com.au

RDN in partnership with Rural Health Workforce Australia (RHWA) provides support to rural and remote GPs in NSW through the RGPLP.

The RGPLP has two elements:

A register of GPs willing to provide Locum Services to rural and remote GPs, and
Financial subsidies for rural GPs to offset the cost of engaging a locum.

Want to become an RGPLP Locum?

Are you willing to provide short term breaks to support rural and remote GPs?

Do you wish to venture to diverse locations, practise challenging and rewarding medicine, and draw on your skills as a Fellowed or VR'd GP?

Who can apply for Locum Relief?

To be eligible to apply for this locum service, you need to be vocationally recognised and working as a GP in a rural or remote area in a RA 2-5 location.

Locum availability is limited so priority is given to rural and remote GPs in most need.

How does the subsidy work?

The locum subsidy is administered by RDN in NSW. It is available for a maximum of 14 locum working days - continuously or in a series of days.

A host GP subsidy of 50% of the daily locum fee to a maximum of $500 per day is available to offset the cost of a locum.

Travel subsidies per 14-day allotment for up to $2000 are available to offset the cost of locum travel. Transport reservations are arranged and paid by RDN, or kilometres travelled may be reimbursed for forward and return locum journeys.

Travel time subsidies for locums may be applicable for journeys of two or more hours to or from the practice. In such instances, RDN will reimburse travel time paid to the locum for up to $400 per return journey.

Rural and remote GPs can apply for locum relief

The RGPLP is funded by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing.