Single Employer Model (SEM) Trials

We are exploring new employment arrangements for general practitioner (GP) trainees to help build our future GP workforce. This model gives GP trainees more attractive employment conditions throughout their training.

About the initiative

Under a SEM trial, one central employer will employ GP trainees throughout their different training rotations. The model aims to:

  • make it easier for trainees to earn and access work benefits, such as personal leave, recreation leave and parental leave
  • provide certainty around training arrangements
  • better align salary and conditions with other specialty training programs

The SEM trials are time-limited until 31 December 2028.

Why it is important

SEM trials aim to remove employment-related barriers to entering GP training. They also aim to make healthcare more accessible for Australian communities in rural and remote areas. If trainees can stay in the same region for all their placements, they can connect with their patients and the community. This will help build a local workforce and improve the quality of care for all patients. 

Goals

Intended outcomes of the trials are to:

  • make GP training more attractive to junior doctors
  • build a stable workforce in trial areas, especially in rural and remote places 
  • improve support systems in rural hospitals and primary care centres 
  • improve linkages between hospitals and local GP clinics 
  • help Close the Gap for First Nations people. 

Meeting our goals

We are expanding SEM trials to more areas in Australia, covering regions ranked between 2-7 on the Modified Monash Model (MMM).

We are testing the model in different contexts, across different regions. This includes testing models where the central employer is either a state or territory government, a state health service or a community organisation.

One First Nations-led Trial includes a program of cultural mentoring and support, to build expertise in culturally safe and appropriate primary health care.

How we are supporting the trials

We allow SEM trainees to bill primary care services as a state or territory employee (through exemptions to s19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973).

We are funding the trial expansion and evaluation with $6.4 million until 2027-28.

All signed SEM s19(2) exemptions can be found at the Federal Register of Legislation.

Supporting SEM trials using the Salary Support Program

The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Salary Support Program Policy 2024 funds GP training placements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health settings. An amendment (section 6.2) to the policy allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health settings to access salary support payments for SEM-participating GP registrars. This amendment is in place until 31 December 2028.

SEM trials are encouraged to involve Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) and Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) so registrars can learn about culturally safe health care.

Who we work with

To assist with the rollout of the trials, we are working with:

  • State and territory governments
  • State health services
  • Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council
  • Training sites such as GP practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
  • Key GP training sector stakeholders, including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)

Status

There are SEM trials operating across 5 states.

New South Wales

  • Far West, Illawarra Shoalhaven, Murrumbidgee, Southern and Western Local Health Districts
  • Hunter New England, Mid North Coast and Northern Local Health Districts

Queensland

  • Northern region
  • Central region
  • Southern region 
  • Charleville*

South Australia

  • Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network
  • Barossa Hills Fleurieu, Eyre & Far North, Flinders & Upper North, Yorke & Northern, Limestone Coast Local Health Networks

Tasmania 

  • State-wide

Victoria

  • Gippsland region
  • Grampians region
  • Loddon Mallee region

*A First Nations-led trial delivered by Queensland Aboriginal & Islander Health Council, in partnership with Charleville and Western Areas Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health. We fund this trial to test a different approach to attract, train and retain a GP workforce in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations sector.

Evaluation

We are engaging an external evaluator to conduct a national evaluation of the SEM trials. The evaluator will assess if the trials are achieving the desired short and longer-term outcomes for local communities. The evaluator will present early feedback on the trials for ongoing Government consideration throughout the evaluation period.

Ministers’ media releases

Attracting more doctors to rural Queensland (31 January 2025)

Strengthening the medical workforce for a healthy Charleville (26 August 2024)

New trial to attract and retain more doctors in regional and rural South Australia (10 May 2024)

Budget 2023–⁠24: Building a stronger Medicare (9 May 2023)

New state-employed rural GPs start under innovative program (Tasmanian Government, 12 October 2024)

Nation-leading GP single employer model pilot now open (Tasmanian Government, 27 July 2024)

Contact

SEM trials

Email us if you have any questions about the SEM trials.
Date last updated:

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