Harnessing local insights to inform national GP workforce need

The GP Workforce Planning and Prioritisation (GP WPP) program has reached another key milestone this month with the submission of the third Workforce Need and Training Capacity Report for Queensland to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

The Queensland Consortium of seven Primary Health Networks (PHNs) led by Brisbane North PHN has undertaken this work which provides the Department and GP Colleges with evidence-based, independent planning and prioritisation advice. This work is making an impact and enables the GP Colleges to make more informed decisions on the priority GP Catchments where Registrars should be optimally placed for quality placements with tailored support, delivering returns for communities in areas of highest need.

Stakeholder engagement and validation is critical to the success of the GP WPP program, and the Queensland PHN Consortium has continued to actively consult and engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including leveraging our existing networks, both at a regional and state level, to inform this Report.

Between March and May this year, a total of 240 stakeholders were engaged for Stage One to extend the reach via a second round of Workforce Planning and Prioritisation Organisation (WPPO)-led consultations with general practice staff, and 364 stakeholders were engaged across Stages Two and Three in Queensland. During this time, the Brisbane North PHN Local GP WPP team engaged with 59 stakeholders for Stage One, 51 stakeholders across Stages Two and Three, and 22 stakeholders at locally led events, with coverage in every GP Catchment in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region.

Rich qualitative insights were captured via these consultations, facilitating timely incorporation of this feedback into Report Three, and enabling PHNs to validate and adjust their initial assessments for relevant GP Catchments.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Steering Committee members, internal and external stakeholders who provided valuable insights, our distributed GP advisors, local PHN WPP program team members and those who have contributed to the GP WPP program to date. We look forward to future collaboration in these coming months as we document training pathways.

The maturity of the local intelligence and the findings captured in this Report is facilitating broader strategic discussions with the aim of increasing the capability in the sector to leverage this intelligence to deliver sustainable primary healthcare models and services that meet the needs of local communities.

For further information about the work of the GP WPP program, please contact Debbie Croyden, Manager | Workforce Planning and Prioritisation at Debbie.Croyden@brisbanenorthphn.org.au.