New RACGP Tasmania office to boost GP workforce

The Royal Australian College of GPs is celebrating its new Tasmanian Faculty office at a launch in Hobart today, which has state of the art GP training spaces that will help grow the state’s GP workforce.  

The RACGP is Australia’s peak body for general practice and GP training. The Tasmanian Faculty’s office in Hobart serves as a training facility for GP registrars, as well as providing spaces for continuing professional development for current GPs, and member engagement activities.    

RACGP Tasmania Chair Toby Gardner said: “The RACGP is growing Australia’s GP workforce – we have more GPs than ever training in Tasmania in 2025, and a record number across Australia. The new office will allow us to train over 30 new GPs a year with a combined training group of around 100. 

“Tasmania needs specialist GPs more than ever because our population is growing and ageing, and we have an epidemic of chronic, complex illness, and mental health conditions. The state has a higher burden of chronic disease and an older population than other states with 35% of people aged 55 years and over compared to 29% nationally according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.  

“Thanks to Federal Government funding, the RACGP trains 90% of GPs in Australia, across big cities, regional, rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and the new training spaces in our Hobart office are a great asset.  

“The new office has a Zoom enabled training space, a board room, several meeting rooms and office spaces, ensuring our trainers can provide the RACGP’s comprehensive and diverse Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program to our next generation of GPs. 

“We are working to attract the next generation to ensure every person in every community in Tasmania can see a GP who they trust and who knows their history.  

“When it comes to ensuring Tasmania has a strong GP workforce, we know funding gets results. And we’re making progress, but more needs to be done, and we’re relying on the Government to ensure funding to grow the workforce meets increasing patient demand. 

“Today’s celebration will also recognise Stronger Medicare award winner Dr Miranda Hann, who has done so much to improve access to care for diverse and vulnerable communities in Tasmania.  

“We’re also celebrating RACGP Tasmania’s immediate past-Chair Dr Tim Jackson and Dr Delfin Sansom, who are stepping down from our Faculty Council. I thank them for their hard work and dedication to our profession over the years, and particularly to Dr Jackson for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic – you steered us through unprecedented times, helping to ensure Tasmania’s GPs could continue providing essential care to our patients.”