Committees and groups

Distribution Working Group

The Distribution Working Group (DWG) provides us with independent expert advice on policies and programs that aim to improve access to medical services.

Role

The Distribution Working Group (DWG) provides us and the Minister for Health and Aged Care with independent advice on:

  • policies, programs, and tools that aim to distribute the Australian medical workforce in an equitable way – these include:
  • applications to change an area’s DPA classification
  • other relevant issues that we or the minister identify.

A new DWG was formed in June 2023.

Previous DWGs met between 2017 and 2022. See their archived terms of reference. 

Terms of reference

For more detail about the DWG’s roles and responsibilities, see the current terms of reference.

Members

The Assistant Secretary of our Distribution Branch chairs the group. It consists of 2 independent advisors and representatives from the:

  • Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
  • Australian Medical Association
  • Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges
  • Lowitija Institute
  • National Rural Health Alliance
  • National Rural Health Commissioner
  • Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators
  • Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
  • Rural Doctors Association of Australia
  • Consumers Health Forum of Australia.

A Distribution Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) supports the DWG by providing more technical advice on:

  • medical workforce distribution tools
  • the methodology for determining distribution decisions
  • policy options to improve access to doctors.

Meetings

The DWG aims to meet 3 times a year or as required.

Exceptional circumstances reviews and outcomes

The DWG:

  • reviews requests to change an area’s DPA classification
  • makes recommendations to the minister.

See how to request a review of a DPA classification.

We publish the outcomes of reviews and upload any changes into the Health Workforce Locator.

The most recent outcomes include:

State/territoryGP catchmentDPA status outcomeOutcome summary
NSWPenrithNot Granted

The DPA classification of Penrith was considered by the Distribution Working Group (DWG) in May 2024. The following factors were considered:

  • Assessment against current DPA benchmarks indicate relatively high levels of GP service in this catchment (32% above the benchmark).
  • The catchment has experienced moderate population growth of 5% over the four years to 2023.
  • In the same period, GP FTE has increased by 4%.
  • GP FTE per 1,000 residents is 1.4, well above the MM2 average of 1.1. 
  • The catchment experiences moderate-low levels of socio-economic disadvantage. The ABS 
    Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) indicator is 4 
    (1 being most disadvantaged and 5 being least disadvantaged). SEIFA indicators are considered as part of the annual assessment of DPA benchmarks.

The Minister’s decision is that DPA status is not granted as the catchment is not considered to meet the requirements for exceptional circumstances.

QLDBeenleighNot Granted

The DPA classification of Beenleigh was considered by the Distribution Working Group (DWG) in May 2024. The following factors were considered:

  • Assessment against current DPA benchmarks indicate relatively high levels of GP service in this catchment (27% above the benchmark).
  • The catchment has experienced moderate-high population growth of 9% over the four years to 2023.
  • In the same period, GP FTE has decreased by 4%.
  • However, GP FTE per 1,000 residents remains high at 1.4, and well above the MM2 average of 1.1. 
  • The catchment experiences high levels of socio-economic disadvantage. The ABS Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) indicator is 1 (1 being most disadvantaged and 5 being least disadvantaged). SEIFA indicators are considered as part of the annual assessment of DPA benchmarks. 

The Minister’s decision is that DPA status is not granted as the catchment is not considered to meet the requirements for exceptional circumstances.

QLDForest Lake-OxleyNot Granted

The DPA classification of Forest Lake-Oxley was considered by the Distribution Working Group (DWG) in May 2024. The following factors were considered:

  • Assessment against current DPA benchmarks indicate relatively high levels of GP service in this catchment (20% above the benchmark).
  • The catchment has experienced moderate population growth of 3% over the four years to 2023.
  • In the same period, GP FTE has decreased by less than 1%.
  • However, GP FTE per 1,000 residents remains high at 1.4, and well above the MM2 average of 1.1. 
  • The catchment experiences moderate-high levels of socio-economic disadvantage. The ABS Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) indicator is 2 (1 being most disadvantaged and 5 being least disadvantaged). SEIFA indicators are considered as part of the annual assessment of DPA benchmarks. 

The Minister’s decision is that DPA status is not granted as the catchment is not considered to meet the requirements for exceptional circumstances.

QLDGold Coast NorthNot Granted

The DPA classification of Gold Coast North was considered by the Distribution Working Group (DWG) in May 2024. The following factors were considered:

  • Assessment against current DPA benchmarks indicate relatively high levels of GP service in this catchment (20% above the benchmark).
  • The catchment has experienced low-moderate population growth of 2% over the four years to 2023.
  • In the same period, GP FTE has decreased by 8%.
  • However, GP FTE per 1,000 residents remains high at 1.3, and well above the MM2 average of 1.1. 
  • The catchment experiences moderate-low levels of socio-economic disadvantage. The ABS Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) indicator is 4 (1 being most disadvantaged and 5 being least disadvantaged). SEIFA indicators are considered as part of the annual assessment of DPA benchmarks. 

The Minister’s decision is that DPA status is not granted as the catchment is not considered to meet the requirements for exceptional circumstances.

See previous exceptional circumstances reviews and outcomes.

Contact

To contact us with general enquiries about the committee you can use our online form.

Distribution Working Group secretariat

DWG members, Rural Workforce Agencies (RWAs) and Public Health Networks can use this email to contact the secretariat.
DistributionWorkingGroup@health.gov.au
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