Advanced Skills Training Posts Rural Generalists and General Practitioners Program

Can an Advanced Skills Training (AST) post be in a general practice or non-general practice community setting?

Yes, an AST post can be in a hospital, general practice community and/or non-general practice community training setting. The post can be with a single organisation or comprise of a range of health settings across a number of organisations. For example, an AST post could consist of a term in a general practice and a term in an Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS).

To be eligible for funding, the AST Post must be accredited by at least one of the GP Colleges, supported by the relevant state/territory Rural Generalist Coordination Unit (RGCU) and meet the AST Program funding eligibility criteria.

What AST disciplines are eligible for funding?

All AST disciplines supported by ACRRM and RACGP curriculums are eligible for funding. This includes non-procedural areas such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, mental health, palliative care, and paediatrics as well as procedural areas such as obstetrics, anaesthetics, surgery and emergency care.

What is a ‘new’ post?

A post is considered new if it:

is accredited and never had a trainee from either GP College
is accredited and has not received funding for >3 years
does not replace or duplicate an existing training post
is currently unaccredited though eligible for accreditation with at least one of the GP Colleges and has not received funding for >3 years
is a new model for training e.g. a hub and spoke model, or a post across a range of settings, includes multiple sites but does not replace an existing post
supports new activity.

A new post is not:

A training post that has received funding through another organisation for more than 12-months within the last 3 years
A position funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC), applicant organisation or a state and territory government
An existing post already in place that has been modified.

The AST Program supports innovative and flexible approaches to training. If you are uncertain your training post meets the requirement for a ‘new’ training post, we encourage you to contact the AST Program team at astprogram@acrrm.org.au.

I’ve identified a new AST post. What do I do next?

Once you have identified a potential new post these are the next steps:

If your post is in a general practice, a non-general practice community setting or a private hospital:

Contact a GP College representative/s in your state/territory to explore:
- Whether the identified post it meets the AST Program post eligibility criteria
- AST accreditation status of the post
  - If the post is unaccredited complete and submit all necessary accreditation documentation
- What community need the AST will meet
- Nomination of the post for consideration for AST Program funding.

If your post is in a public hospital or health service:

Contact the Rural Generalist Coordination Unit (RGCU) in your state/territory to explore:
- Whether the identified post it meets the AST Program post eligibility criteria
- What community need the advanced skill training will meet
- Nomination of the post for consideration for AST Program funding
The RGCU will liaise with the GP Colleges to determine the AST accreditation status of the post
- If the post is unaccredited the RGCU will refer you to the GP Colleges to follow their accreditation process.

How do I nominate an AST post for funding support under the AST program?

You nominate your AST post through one or all of the following:

The Rural Generalist Program Coordination Unit for your state or territory
ACRRM regional team for your state or territory
RACGP Rural Program Manager for your state or territory.

An AST post must have the support of the Rural Generalist Program Coordination Unit for your state or territory to be nominated.

How will AST posts be selected?

Each state is funded for two (2) FTE AST posts per year and the Northern Territory is funded for three (3) per year.

The RGCU’s, ACRRM and RACCGP will each nominate AST posts and collectively prioritise nominations for the respective state/territory in line with the AST Program guidelines. The list of prioritised posts is then submitted to the AST Program Selection Committee who select the posts and forward to DoHAC for approval.

Can I nominate an unaccredited AST post for funding under the AST program?

Yes, you can nominate an AST post that isn’t accredited however, the training post must be accredited with either or both ACRRM and RACGP before the trainee commences and the issue of funding.

We recommend AST posts are accredited at the time of nomination and where the training post isn’t accredited a plan demonstrating eligibility to meet accreditation and timeframes to submit applications is submitted with the post nomination.

Are all funded AST Posts for 12 months duration?

No. Surgery AST may require a minimum of two (2) years to complete and will count as two (2) posts for the purpose of funding and post allocation. Training in other AST disciplines for >12 months may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

What can the AST Program funding be used for?

AST Program funding can be used in flexible and innovative ways to support trainees and training posts to undertake AST in rural locations. Some of the ways the funding can be used are to:

Supplement trainee salaries and wages
Provide access to training not otherwise available e.g. Courses, workshops, conferences
Provide payment to the supervisor for supervision of advanced skills training
Support trainee travel relating to AST training
Support trainee accommodation relating to AST training.

AST Program funding cannot be used for:

Trainee salary and wages where Medicare Benefits are claimed or salary support received
Supervisor payments where the supervisor is a paid employee or contractor of the:
- Commonwealth, state/territory government or applicant organisation and/or,
- where supervision forms part of their paid role
Purchase of assets e.g. supplement the purchase of property to accommodate trainees, motor vehicles etc.

Is a training post in a MMM 1 location eligible under AST Program?

Training posts are to be in regional, rural and remote (MMM 2 - 7) locations. However, the AST Program may consider support for an AST post in an MMM 1 location to provide training where training is not available in a rural location and where support for the post will fill a service delivery gap in an identified community.

This also applies to training posts that include a rotation from regional, rural and remote locations in an MMM 1 location.

How much funding is paid to the AST post?

Up to $150,000 is provided per 1 FTE per annum. You can also apply for partial funding if you do not need or are not eligible to receive the maximum amount. Funding can be used flexibly to support advanced skills training in rural locations.

A breakdown of how you intend to use the funding is submitted when you nominate the AST post.

Who can receive funding under the program?

Public hospitals, general practices, non-general practice community health organisations, Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS), Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), Aged Care Services, Local Health Networks, private hospitals providing public hospital services, private health care organisations/settings.

If you are a registrar or Fellowed RG/GP who has identified an AST post for funding you will need to liaise with your College, either directly or via the specific health care facility, or the National Rural Generalist Program Coordination Unit in regard to nomination. Individual registrars or Fellowed RGs/GPs are not eligible to apply directly for funding under this program.

Is an AST post that received short-term funding from a charitable trust eligible for funding?

Any post funded by another organisation within the last 12 months will need to conclusively demonstrate the funding for the post is not ongoing.

Can the funding only be used to support trainee salaries and wages?

No. The AST Program encourages you to look at innovative and flexible ways the funding can be used to support AST trainees and training posts to train in rural locations. For example, a trainee may need to move to another location to complete all or part of their AST training. Funds can be allocated to support the trainee with accommodation expenses.

Some ways the AST Program funding can be used are to:

Supplement trainee salaries and wages
Provide access to training not otherwise available eg. Courses, workshops, conferences
Provide support to the supervisor
Support trainee travel relating to AST training
Support trainee accommodation relating to AST training.

Is an AST post that receives funding from the Commonwealth, state/territory government or applicant organisation eligible for funding?

An AST Post is not able to be paid for the same service twice. So, a post that is fully funded by the Commonwealth, applicant organisation or a state/ territory government will not be eligible to receive AST Program funds.

However, if an AST Post receives funds to support trainee salaries and wages only the post may be eligible to receive partial funding to support other non-funded aspects of training such as the supervisor and/or access to additional training.

Advanced Skills Training, which spans hospital and community settings where the hospital or health service is the employer, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

What happens to the funds if the trainee withdraws from training?

You will be required to pay any funds paid in advance back to the AST Program. The AST Program team will contact you to advise if there are any funds to be returned.

Advanced Skills Training disciplines funded by the program

Where they are training

Testimonials

AST Application Process

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Participant application process

Healthy rural, remote and First Nations communities through excellence, social accountability and innovation.

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