About the JFPDP
The John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program (JFPDP) will:
- consolidate the 2 funding streams under the Rural Junior Doctor Training Innovation Fund – core and rural generalist (RJDTIF and RJDTIF RG)
- increase rural primary care rotations for hospital-based doctors in rural areas from 110 full-time equivalent (440 rotations) in 2022 to 200 full-time equivalent (800 rotations) by 2025
- expand eligibility to include doctors in their first 5 postgraduate years
- allow a limited pool of metropolitan-hospital-based doctors to undertake rotations in rural primary care settings.
The current RJDTIF and RJDTIF RG arrangements will continue until 31 December 2022. The JFPDP will start on 1 January 2023.
Why it is important
Evidence shows if you train in rural and remote regions, you are more likely to stay in the regions. This is why we continue to invest in building the rural training pipeline.
Through the new JFPDP rotations, communities will benefit from an increased level of health services and a more stable, locally trained workforce.
Goals
The new program will encourage doctors to move out of metropolitan hospitals and work in rural general practice.
Doctors will gain skills in managing chronic disease and delivering primary and preventive care, rather than just focusing on acute care in hospitals.
Meeting our goals
The program will meet its goals in several ways:
- It will continue to give doctors the opportunity to live and work in rural communities.
- An extra 360 hospital-based doctors can gain experience in rural general practice.
- It will provide patients in rural, regional and remote areas with a more stable locally trained workforce by increasing the delivery of health services.
- 3% of rotations will be delivered in Indigenous primary care settings, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.
- 3% of the rotations will be filled by Indigenous doctors.
Who we work with
We will work with state and territory ministries of health, rural public hospitals, primary care settings, workforce and training agencies to deliver the JFPDP.