Under the new AGPT grant opportunity guidelines, the RACGP and ACRRM would be required to prioritise registrar placement in practices that bulk bill only.
Practices that participate in the upcoming Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program will be prioritised for registrar placements from next year, according to Department of Health, Disability and Ageing tender documents.
When GP training was handed back to the two GP colleges in early 2023, it was done on a grant basis; that grant only provides funding for ACRRM and the RACGP to run training through to the end of 2025.
In order to continue administering GP training past that date, ACRRM and the RACGP have to reapply.
The next tender will cover GP training from the beginning of 2026 to the end of 2030.
There is no question of a third party successfully applying for the Australian GP Training program tender – ACRRM and the RACGP are the only two eligible applicants – but having to reapply does mean the colleges could be asked to agree to additional new terms.
One of the new terms included in the grant opportunity guideline is that “placements in accredited bulk-billing medical practices (participating in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program) must be prioritised over placements in other medical practices”.
In order to participate in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program, which kicks off in November, all doctors at a clinic must commit to bulk billing 100% of services.
The 2022 grant opportunity documents do not include a clause directing the colleges to prioritise practices with specific billing policies; it appears to be an entirely new requirement.
The RACGP told The Medical Republic that it could not discuss a current grant process, but said it continues to work with the health department to prioritise placing GPs in quality training environments where they are needed most.
“This collaboration with the department allowed us to welcome a record number of GPs into our AGPT program in 2025,” it said.
“Addressing Australia’s shortages and distribution of GPs is essential. Ensuring accredited training practices and placements are in communities which need more GPs is a key way the RACGP is working to ensure all Australian communities can have access to high-quality specialist GP care.”
General Practice Supervision Australia chair Dr Srishti Dutta told TMR that, if universal bulk-billing practices were prioritised, it would be yet another requirement for an already stretched workforce.
“There are expectations from the registrars, whether it’s in regards to the quality of their training, their experience, or their remuneration,” she said.
“There are expectations from the training organisations to ensure that those requirements can be met in the best possible way, and a high-quality training experience is provided.
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“And now it appears that, in addition to all of that, we now have a set of expectations from the government to see if we can fit all of that alongside bulk billing as another requirement.
“Among all of this, what tends to get impacted is our ability to provide undivided attention to patients and trainees.”
Dr Dutta also said that all supervisors and practices that remain involved aim to ensure a positive experience and quality learning environment, but that it was becoming increasingly challenging.
General Practice Registrars Australia president Dr Chris Dickie, meanwhile, told TMR that the peak body for GPs in training supported placements suited to the needs of the individual doctor.
“The placement of registrars should achieve a balance between registrar, supervisor, practice, and community needs while always maintaining a positive and well-supported training experience for registrars who are the future of Australian general practice,” he said.
“GPRA looks forward to continuing to engage with the GP training colleges, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, General Practice Supervision Australia and the rest of our sector while we grow our GP workforce.”
Another new condition is that the colleges will have to “support unaccredited bulk-billing medical practices (participating in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program) to achieve training accreditation to build training capacity in these settings”.
