The Fleurieu will be one of the regions to benefit from extension of a trial to attract and retain more doctors in regional and rural South Australia.

The new Single Employer Model (SEM) will support up to 60 additional GP and rural generalist registrars training in the community at any one time – potentially quadrupling the state’s existing cohort as the program scales up over time.

Under the program, GP and rural generalist registrars will have the option of being employed by the South Australian Health Service as salaried employees. 

This would allow them to have a single employer while placed in GP practices in rural and regional locations across the state, instead of having to change employers every six or 12 months with each new placement.

By providing GP and rural generalist registrars with guaranteed income and entitlements such as annual leave, parental leave, sick leave and other remuneration and benefits received by doctors working in hospital settings, the SEM will make working in rural and general practice more attractive and improve recruitment and retention of GPs in regional and rural communities.

It will cover five regional and rural Local Health Networks in Barossa Hills and Fleurieu, Eyre and Far North, Flinders and Upper North, Yorke and Northern, and Limestone Coast.

The new trial is part of an SEM expansion announced in the October 2022 and May 2023 Federal Budgets. Trials will run until 2028.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler this innovative approach will help to retain the doctors needed to continue to provide essential primary healthcare services to South Australians.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with the Malinauskas Government to make training and working in rural general practice a more attractive option for young doctors. 

“Importantly, it will make it easier for people in regional South Australia to see a doctor close to home.”

State Health Minister Chris Picton says the Single Employer Model has been successful in the Riverland for the past two years, increasing the local medical workforce by more than 25 per cent.

“I am thrilled this is now rolling out across the rest of South Australia and supporting up to 80 GP and rural generalist registrars training in the community.

“South Australians deserve access to quality health care no matter where they live, and having more doctors in the country is another step towards achieving this.”