General Practice Rural Incentives Program

The General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP) is an Australian Government incentive that commenced on 1 July 2010. GPRIP aims to promote careers in rural medicine as well as increase, recognise and retain medical practitioners in rural and remote Australia.

GPRIP comprises the following:
•    GP Registrar component
•    GP Component
•    Rural Relocation Incentive Grant (RRIG)

Eligible doctors must provide primary care services in RA 2-5 locations and meet the continuous service requirements.

GP Registrars

For matters concerning GP Registrars and GPRIP, please go to www.doctorconnect.gov.au

Transition to the GP Component can occur only after Fellowship has been awarded.

Rural Relocation Incentive Grant (RRIG)

The RRIG assists fully registered medical practitioners to relocate to work in rural and remote areas of Australia. A GP must:

•    Have been awarded Fellowship, or be not subject to 19AA of the Health Insurance Act 1973

•    Hold a "Permanent Resident" class visa, or Australian Citizenship

•    Relocate to an RA location more remote than the location they have been practising in over the past 12 months

•    Have provided at least one billed service within the past 12 months in the location from which they are relocating from

•    As well as fulfilling the above criteria, OTDs must have completed 19AB restrictions

For more information about RRIG payments and conditions, please go to www.doctorconnect.com.au

GP Component

GPs and Specialists who deliver primary care services in RA 2-5 locations may be rewarded under the GP component of GPRIP. GPs working towards or having received payment under the Rural Retention Program will have their practice time recognised under grandfathering arrangements until 30 June 2013.

Please note the following:

•    Payments are scaled according to RA locations, length of practice and clinical workload of eligible services

•    Calculations are based on active quarters

•    Clinical workload is measured according to the Medicare Billings Threshold. An active quarter is where billings fall within the range of between $4,000 and $20,000 per quarter. An incentive payment is  calculated as a pro-rata  percentage of full time equivalency ($20,000 per quarter). For example, if billings are $15,000 for the quarter, the incentive payment is calculated at 0.75% for that quarter.

•    Where practise occurs in more than one RA location, the GPRIP scale per RA location is averaged for any quarter, with calculation attributed to the RA location with the highest level of billed service activity. A doctor may apply for "Top Up" under FPS in particular circumstances (see FPS below).

RA 2 Locations

The initial payment is upon completion of four active quarters (one active year). A GP must complete four active quarters in eight to meet continous service reqirements.

RA 3-5 Locations

The first two payments are made upon completion of two active quarters (six active months) and thereafter at the completion of four active quarters. A GP must complete four active quarters in eight to meet continous service reqirements.

Central Payment System (CPS)

Most GPs will not need to apply because their eligibility is automatically calculated by Medicare. When payment is due, GPs are contacted by Medicare for bank account details. Please note that GPRIP is considered taxable income by the Australian Tax Office.

Leave Provisions under CPS

Leave provisions under the GP Component vary according to the payment system. The CPS only allows a specific length of time of leave (please see table below), whereas the Flexible Payment System (FPS) allows for more flexibility. Assessment for leave provisions under the FPS is made to the relevant Rural Workforce Agency (RWA) i.e. made to the RDN in New South Wales (NSW).

Leave in excess of four quarters, results in payment rates reverting to the base level. Alternatively, medical practitioners may apply for extended leave through the Flexible Payment System (FPS). Applications for extended leave should be made to the relevant RWA  in the doctor's home State. In NSW, the RDN is the RWA.

Unless extenuating circumstances exist (which may be provided to the GPRIP Advisory Body for consideration), leave in excess of eight quarters results in payment rates reverting to the base incremental level.

CPS Information

For more information about CPS, please go to www.doctorconnect.gov.au

For enquiries regarding all GPRIP Components payments made through CPS, please call Medicare on 1800 010 8060.

Flexible Payment System (FPS)

As the RWA in NSW, the RDN calculates FPS payments under GPRIP. GPRIP is an Australia-wide program and a doctor's FPS application will be made through their state RWA.

FPS applications can be made in the following contexts:

a) Acceptable Leave

•    RA 2-5: Doctors wishing to upskill and undergo secondary training - six quarters (18 months)

•    RA 2-5: Doctors wishing to take Maternity Leave - eight quarters (24 months)

b) Alternative Employment

•    RA 2-5: Doctors working for the Royal Flying Doctors Services and doctors working for Aboriginal Medical Services

•    RA 4-5: State salaried doctors providing mostly primary care services, and doctors performing procedural services to private patients in a hospital setting

c) Top Up Provisions

RA 4-5: Assists doctors where their activity is not adequately captured under the CPS for reasons such as:excessive travel time to provide outreach services, time spent providing population health work in Aboriginal communities, and provision of essential services to a relatively small community.

d) Leave Clustering

RA 4-5: Doctors working in remote communities under contract arrangements are entitled to cluster their leave for up to four months at the end of their contract without compromising their accrued eligibility

FPS Application Forms

Flexible Payment Application Form

FPS Applications should be mailed to:

Project Manager - Medical Retention, NSW Rural Doctors Network, Level 3, 133 King Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

FPS Enquiries

For more information about FPS, please contact the Project Manager - Medical Retention at RDN on 02 4924 8060 or sriley@nswrdn.com.au