Corporate Profile

To understand the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) it is important to be aware of the history and the context of the organisation as well as its structure. The areas covered in the Corporate Profile are:

Governance
Operating Context
Principles
RDN Board
RDN Constitution
Rural Medical Support Forum

Governance

The Rural Doctors Resource Network (RDRN) was created in 1988 as an Association incorporated under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act with Primary Members being rural GPs. In 1998 RDN was established as a Company Limited by Guarantee, and in keeping with its continuity with the RDRN, retained rural GPs as primary members - currently 747*. RDN also has 61* Associate Members.

The RDN Board comprises individuals nominated by NSW Rural Divisions of GP (3), Rural Doctors Association (NSW), Australian Medical Association (NSW), Aboriginal Health & Medical Council, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Rural Medical Training Forum and NSW Department of Health (2) plus two elected by RDN members.

The Rural Medical Support Forum (RMSF) is the major committee of the RDN and advises the Board on policy issues and RDN management on operational issues. The Forum includes consumers (Shires Association and CWA) and representatives from the RDA (NSW), Area Health Service, General Practice NSW, AH&MRC, Department of Health & Ageing, DoH, RMTFand RDN Board and management.

The Rural Medical Family Network operates (RMFN) as a committee of RDN. The Network has its own membership (currently 847*) of spouses of rural GPs, its own committee and reports to RDN management through a RDN project officer. RDN remains accountable for all activities, including financial activities, of the RMFN.

Operating Context

As the Rural Workforce Agency in New South Wales, the RDN works within a large and complex system. This system includes rural doctors, the current roles of rural doctors, health service organisations that impact on service delivery, support for the future pool of rural GPs, liaison with practices, community organisations and groups seeking or supporting rural doctors, and governments who provide funding to RDN.

Rural Doctors*

• 1,824 rural GPs in 625 practices
• 1,664 rural GPs Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Area (RRMA) 3-7
• 1,304 rural GPs RRMA 4-7
• 784 rural GPs who are Visiting Medical Officers in hospitals
  
• More than 1,350 practice nurses employed in rural GP practices
• More than 50 allied health workers employed by rural GP practices
  
• 204 vacancies in rural towns registered with the NSW RDN
  

In recent decades, NSW rural GPs have remained in rural practice longer than in any other Australian state or territory. Despite an increase in the numbers of rural GPs between 2001 and 2005, average hours of patient contact has declined as a result of more doctors working part-time, and a gradual reduction in the traditionally long hours of work undertaken. The number of rural GP vacancies has steadily grown over the same period. Of particular concern is that the number of GPs already over 55 years is growing rapidly and now stands at almost 400. The need to replace these doctors as they retire or leave rural practice poses a significant challenge, not least because this cohort of doctors take an active and critical role in the training of registrars and medical undergraduates.

Health Organisations*

• 19 Rural Divisions of General Practice (including three Victorian Divisions which service doctors working in NSW)
• Eight Medical Schools, including the Australian National University (ANU)
  
• Nine Regional Training Providers (six rural)
• Three University Departments of Rural Health
• Eight Rural Clinical Schools
• 64 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
• Four Rural Area Health Services
• 12 Base Hospitals in rural areas
• More than 100 towns with a public health facility and a population less than 7,000
• 128 Rural Doctors Settlement Package hospitals
  

Governments*

• The NSW Department of Health (DoH) has funded the RDN since 1988.
• The Australian Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) funds RDN activities through the Rural and Remote General Practice Program, Medical Specialists Outreach Assistance Program and Indigenous Specialists Outreach Assistance Program.
• The RDN region spans 102 rural local government bodies (Shires or Councils), 16 of which provide funds to the RDN to provide medical student Bush Bursaries in their towns.
  

*at 30 June 2009

Principles

RDN operates, and has operated, on the principles of:

1. Action, in terms of doing what is best done at a state-wide (rural) level;
2. Support for organisations to do what is best done at a regional or local level;
3. Facilitation and coordination of activities across the state to achieve greater cohesion and less duplication in implementation; and
4. Recognising areas where new strategies are needed or can help, and providing the necessary development of those strategies. Where appropriate, those strategies may be implemented by other organisations at a regional or local level.

1. Action at a state level includes such activities as:

• Assessment of and assistance to Overseas Trained Doctors (OTDs)
• Data and information management
• Relocation and education grants
• Locum project
• Workforce planning
• Research to better inform the attraction, recruitment and retention of rural GPs
• Relationships with state level organisations
• Managing scholarships for medical students to increase their rural exposure

2. Support at a regional or local level includes such activities as:

• Funding regional management of the locum project by two Divisions
• Rural Training Provider (RTP) management of funds for OTDs to help them gain Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
  
• Assisting rural communities needing doctors
• Management by Divisions and Aborginal Medical Services (AMSs) of the Medical Specialists Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP) and Indigenous  Specialists Outreach Assistance Program (ISOAP) at a regional level

3. Facilitation and coordination at a state-wide level:

With the size and complexity of rural medicine in NSW, this is a major part of RDN activity, aimed at achieving cohesion in rural health programs and minimising duplication of activities across the various organisations. It includes such activities as:

• Chairing and hosting the Rural Medical Training Forum (RMTF) - all organisations involved in rural medical education and training
• Rural Medical Support Forum (RMSF) - Divisions, Shires, governments, Country Women's Association (CWA) and Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC)
• Hosting regular meetings of (rural) Regional Training Providers (RTPs)
• Meetings and discussions with many organisations, including politico-industrial, colleges, governments and communities on attracting, recruiting and retaining rural GPs

4. Development:

Over the last 20 years RDN (and its predecessor organisation) has been involved in the development of most innovations in rural GP workforce. In most cases these innovations are initiatives now administered by other organisations. This has been consistent with RDN's operational principles.. Examples include the development of GP Entities and their extension into Integrated Primary Care, business management support for rural GPs, GP succession planning, and an Administration Manual for Aborginal Medical Services' general practice activities.

RDN Board

The Board of Directors is responsible for determining overall policy and priorities of the organisation, and for ensuring that RDN meets funding agreements and contractual obligations.

2010 RDN Board (appointed at the November 2009 Annual General Meeting):
Dr Rick Newton, Rural Divisions of General Practice
Dr Cathy Marshall, Rural Medical Training Forum
Dr Scott Finlay, Rural Divisions of General Practice
Dr Rose Ellis, NSW Rural Doctors Network (Secretary)
Vacant, Rural Divisions of General Practice
Dr Jenny Hunt, Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council
Dr Ros Bullock, GP
Dr John Kramer, Royal Australian College General Practitioners
Dr Robin Williams, GP
Dr Tilak Dissanayake, NSW Rural Doctors Association
Dr Geoff White, NSW Australian Medical Association
Dr Nigel Lyons, Rural Area Health Service
Mr Scott McLachlan, NSW Department of Health

RDN Constitution

The RDN is a public company limited by guarantee under the Australian Corporations Act 2001. Download the RDN Constitution.

Rural Medical Support Forum

The Rural Medical Support Forum (RMSF) provides advice to RDN on initiatives to improve the attraction, recruitment and retention of GPs to rural NSW.

The RMSF comprises representatives with expertise and experience in rural medical workforce issues from a range of organisations in NSW. Together these representatives plan workforce strategies for a range of GPs - including students, graduates, proceduralists and overseas trained doctors - to improve the sustainability of GP health services in the bush. 

The RMSF reports and makes recommendations to the RDN Board. Download the Terms of Reference. The RMSF spokesperson is RDN CEO Dr Ian Cameron at ceo@nswrdn.com.au

2010 RMSF Committee:

Dr Elizabeth Barrett, NSW Rural Doctors Network

Ms Vicki Jones, Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council

Mr Paul Braybrooks, Local Government & Shires Association

Dr Ros Bullock, NSW Rural Doctors Network Board

Dr Ian Cameron, NSW Rural Doctors Network (Chair)

Dr Paul Collett, NSW Rural Doctors Network Management Group

Dr Lauren Cone, Rural Cadet

Dr Rose Ellis, NSW Rural Doctors Network

Dr Emma Gilchrist, GP Registrar

Dr Ian Kamerman, Rural Doctors Association (NSW)

Ms Linda Macpherson, NSW Department of Health

Dr Cathy Marshall, Rural Medical Training Forum

Mr Tony Miles, NSW Rural Doctors Network

Ms Emer O'Callaghan, Rural Area Health Service

Ms Lisa Ryan, NSW Rural Doctors Network

Ms Suzanne Riley, NSW Rural Doctors Network

Ms Jo Smith, Australian Department of Health & Ageing

Ms Robyn Wright, Country Womens Association