PGPPP
Prevocational General Practice Placements Program
Information for practices
What is it?
The Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) is an Australian Federal
Government initiative that provides hospital based junior doctors with an opportunity to
experience a supervised General Practice placement as an accredited hospital rotation.
Junior doctors (typically PGY2) undertake a 10-11 week rotation within an accredited GP training
practice seeing patients under a staged supervision model.
Like any other hospital rotation, it is an accredited hospital term and during the rotation the
junior doctor remains an employee of the hospital.
The program is administered nationally by General Practice Education & Training Ltd (GPET) and
is delivered by Regional Training Providers (RTPs), such as GP Synergy.
What are the supervision requirements?
A GP Synergy accredited supervisor must be on-site 100% of the time the trainee is working.
PGPPP doctors are required to move through four stages of supervision outlined by the
organisation responsible for developing, conducting, coordinating, supporting and evaluating
clinical education and training programs across the NSW public health system, Health Education
and Training Institute (HETI).
Some trainees may take longer to progress through different stages and some may never reach
particular stages. Progression from one stage to another is dependent on the supervisor’s
assessment and participation in the clinical supervision of the PGPPP Doctor; ensuring the PGPPP
Doctor can practice safely at each stage, assessing the stage outcomes have been achieved and
acknowledging achievement of the stage’s outcomes before the PGPPP Doctors moves to the
next stage. The exception is progression of stages 3 to 4 which can only occur after the supervisor
and a GP Synergy Medical Educator has formally assessed the PGPPP doctor.
The four stages of supervision include:Stage 1: Observed Consultations: The PGPPP doctor sits in with the supervisor observing only for a minimum of one session.
Stage 2 : Wave Consultations: This model of training involves the supervisor and the PGPPP doctor undertaking patient consultations consecutively. The supervisor reviews each of the PGPPP doctor’s patients while the patient is still present.
Stage 3: Reviewed Consultations: During stage three, the PGPPP doctor sees patients
independently with a review and discussion of all patients with the supervisor at the
end of the session.
Stage 4:
Independent Consultations: The doctor is permitted to undertake an agreed range of “independent” consultations in an environment where the supervisor is “on call for the doctor, and will only review the management of a certain type or number of patient consultations.
STAGE 1
Observed Consultations
STAGE 2
Wave Consultations
STAGE 3
Reviewed Consultations
STAGE 4
Independent Consultations
advancing medical training
At the start of each Term GP Synergy runs a 2
day intensive orientation workshop for PGPPP
participants to help prepare them for the
Term. This covers topics such as contraception,
common
paediatrics,
dermatology,
professionalism, billing, prescribing and a
review of some of the common consultations
PGPPP Doctors may experience.
PGPPP doctors are also invited to attend GP
registrar workshops in negotiation with the
practice.
What teaching
is required?
PGPPP supervisors are required to provide
a total of 6 (1 formal + 5 informal) hours of
teaching time per week. This must include
1 hour of formal teaching which can
encompass:
• Formal tutorial
• Case review
• Demonstration of procedures
• Formal in-house education presentations from visiting specialists/allied health. (Pharmaceutical Company Representatives excluded)
• Other structured formal face to face activities negotiated with trainee and GP Synergy medical educator
• Formal registrar teaching sessions if a practice has multiple trainees.
Up to 5 hours of informal teaching
can include:
• Review of trainee’s consultations during supervision
• Corridor consultation/advice
• Demonstrating interesting pathology, etc.
PGPPP supervisors are also required to release
PGPPP doctors to participate in GP Synergy
education activities:
• GP Synergy PGPPP half day education workshop via videoconference (currently 2 per term).
• 2 day orientation workshop at beginning of term
• Half day “Wrap up” session at end of term.
PGPPP supervisors are strongly encouraged to
allow PGPPP doctors to participate in:
• GP Synergy registrar day release
educational workshops
• Divisional educational activities
• On-line activities available through
• RACGP’s GP learning portal or ACRRM’s
• RRMEO
• Peer tutorials at feeder hospital.
What are
the funding
arrangements?
There is considerable funding available to
support practices who train PGPPP doctors.
In addition to this funding practices keep
the Medicare billings the PGPPP doctor
generates.
This funding includes:• Infrastructure payment: $2000 per term
• Supervision payment: $7800 per term (based on $125/hr x 6 hours per week x 10.4 weeks)
• Total Funding: $9800.00 per term plus 100% Medicare Billings N.B. PGPPP doctor salaries for normal hours are covered by the program.
What other support
is available for
practices?
GP Synergy has a dedicated PGPPP Team who
liaises with Hospitals, practices, supervisors
and the PGPPP Doctors.
This includes a PGPPP Manager and a PGPPP
Program Officer to assist with practice
accreditation, orientation, administration
(applying for Medicare Provider numbers),
evaluation and assistance during the Term.
We also have a Medical Educator (ME) in the
role of the Director of Prevocational Education
and Training (DPET) on the PGPPP Team, who
will be in contact the PGPPP participant and
the supervisor throughout the term to discuss
the PGPPP doctors progress and gather
supervisors feedback. The DPET can also assist
practices with setting up supervision and
timetabling.
GP Synergy also covers the cost of medical
indemnity insurance for the trainees.
Why is it important
for junior doctors
to have the
opportunity to
experience general
practice in their
hospital training?
Many junior doctors have had limited exposure
to general practice during their training and
have an incomplete understanding of the
primary care environment and what happens
to patients after they leave the hospital.
Improving a junior doctors understanding of
the primary care and the way hospital doctors
interact with primary care providers is critical
for patient wellbeing. A PGPPP term allows the
doctor to have hands on experience of general
practice over and above what they may have
experienced in medical school which extends
their knowledge and understanding of the
role of general practitioners.
A PGPPP rotation also allows junior doctors
that are unsure of their career plans to try
general practice during their formative career
decision making years.
Exposure to the general practice profession is
limited in most hospitals and often not well
represented. PGPPP is one of the few ways
junior doctors can be inspired to consider the
profession as a future career choice.
Which practices can
participate in PGPPP?
To be considered to participate in the PGPPP program, practices need to:• Review the HETI PGPPP Standards and GPET PGPPP Practice Guidelines
• Meet the HETI PGPPP Standards
• Nominate a Principle and Secondary accredited GP Supervisor
• Have a dedicated consultation room available for 40hrs/week for the PGPPP Doctor
• Participate in a practice site visit check
• Provide an orientation/induction for the PGPPP Doctor
• Participate in supervisor workshops (when required)
Do I have to participate
for all 5 terms in the year?
How many terms are there in a year?
There are 5 terms in a year, each term of 10 or 11 weeks duration.
What are the term dates?
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Term 4
Term 5
21 January 2013
8 April 2013
17 June 2013
26 August 2013
4 November 2013
7 April 2013
16 June 2013
25 August 2013
3 November 2013
19 January 2014
11 weeks
10 weeks
10 weeks
10 weeks
11 weeks
Do I have to take a PGPPP every term?
Practices are able to participate in the program for all 5 terms or participate for a specific number
of terms in a year.
Where do the junior doctors come from?
PGPPP participants are junior doctors from training hospitals located within GP Synergy’s
boundaries, as listed below.
Network 1: RPAH
Network 2: Bankstown and Campbelltown
Network 3: Concord
Network 4: Liverpool
Network 5: RNSH
Network 6: Hornsby
Network 8: St George
Network 9: POWH
Network 10: St Vincent’s
Network 12: Tamworth
Will the PGPPP participant be eligible
for a provider and prescriber number?
The PGPPP participants will be PGY2 (or above) and are eligible for Medicare provider/prescriber
numbers.
For more information contact GP Synergy - see overleaf for details
If you would like more information about becoming
involved in the PGPPP program, please contact:-
Dr Graham Lee
Lexi Kyle
Jani Mal
Director Prevocational
PGPPP Program Officer
PGPPP Program Manager
Education & Training
P: 02 9756 5711
P: 02 9756 5711
P: 02 9756 5711
E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
www.gpsynergy.com.au