RACGP looks forward to continued collaboration with SA Government

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is looking forward to continuing its constructive working relationship with the South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and his Government to strengthen primary healthcare and improve health outcomes for communities across the state.

RACGP SA Chair Dr Siân Goodson said specialist GPs play a critical role in keeping South Australians healthy, reducing pressure on hospitals, and ensuring patients receive timely, high-quality care close to home.

“We welcome the opportunity to continue collaborating with the South Australian Government on policies that support accessible, patient-centred general practice and a sustainable GP workforce,” she said.

“By working together, we can ensure South Australians receive the care they need, when and where they need it.”

RACGP SA will continue to advocate for strengthening the state’s medical workforce, including initiatives to support international medical graduates (IMGs), encourage metropolitan to rural workforce movement, and establish a Centre for Excellence in Neurodiversity focused on training and holistic care.

Dr Goodson said workforce reform is critical to improving access to care and reducing pressure on hospitals, particularly in regional and rural communities.

“South Australia, like the rest of the country, is facing significant GP workforce challenges driven by an ageing population, rising chronic disease, and long‑standing maldistribution of doctors,” she said.

“Attracting IMGs and enabling metropolitan based GPs to support rural and regional practice are practical steps that can make a real difference for patients who are currently struggling to access care close to home.”

Initiatives that improve supervision, training pathways and professional support for IMGs are essential to ensuring doctors can practise safely, confidently and sustainably within the Australian health system.

“International medical graduates are a vital part of South Australia’s GP workforce, particularly in rural and regional areas,” Dr Goodson said.

“Well designed programs that support integration, supervision and retention are good for doctors and, most importantly, for patient safety and continuity of care.”

The proposed Centre for Excellence in Neurodiversity would also strengthen workforce planning, support high quality training, and improve long term retention of doctors across the state.

“A Centre of Excellence in Neurodiversity would bring together GPs, paediatricians, psychiatrists, and allied health professionals under one roof, delivering coordinated, multidisciplinary care that simply doesn’t exist at scale today,” Dr Goodson said.

“General practice must be at the centre of these efforts, as it remains the most cost-effective way to keep people well and out of hospital.

“We look forward to working closely with the South Australian Government to ensure these workforce commitments translate into improved access to GP care, particularly for rural, regional, and disadvantaged communities.”

~ENDS

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the peak representative organisation for general practice, the backbone of Australia’s health system. We set the standards for general practice, facilitate lifelong learning for GPs, connect the general practice community, and advocate for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

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