The Support Scheme for Rural Specialists
The Support Scheme for Rural Specialists


In this Newsletter

   SSRS Round Six Forum Friday 23 March 2007   
   The Royal Australasian College of Physicians 2007 Congress   
   Specialist Obstetrician Locum Scheme (SOLS)   



What is the SSRS?

The Support Scheme for Rural Specialists is an initiative of the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Each Specialist College contributes to the operation and management of the Scheme.



Contact Us

Email:
info@ruralspecialist.org.au

Phone:
02 9256 9615

SSRS Round Six Progress Reports

Round Six Progress Reports were submitted to the SSRS Project Management Unit in October 2006. Some preliminary outcomes from projects include:

  • Approximately 40 SSRS education and CPD events held
  • Over 600 rural specialists participating in the Scheme
  • Participation in rural activities reportedly reducing professional isolation and strengthening collegiality
  • Implementation of 4 collaborative College projects and 7 Projects involving multidisciplinary specialist participation
  • Higher than anticipated uptake and participation in several projects by speciality groups and location
  • Commitment by specialist's colleagues and workplaces to support education models.


SSRS Round Six Forum Friday 23 March 2007

The Round Six SSRS Forum will be held on Friday 23 March 2007 at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Melbourne.  As in previous years, this forum will provide an opportunity for rural specialists and medical college staff to share learnings about CPD and education projects and collaborate and build capacity around future strategies to support the rural specialist medical workforce.

Key themes for the day include: 

  • CPD and Safety and Quality in a rural setting
  • The future of CPD and strategies to support rural access to CPD programs
  • Engaging overseas trained specialists in the SSRS and CPD programs 

Invitations have now been sent to College Presidents and CEOs and further information and and registration forms will be available shortly.


The Royal Australasian College of Physicians 2007 Congress

The RACP Congress will be held in Melbourne from 6 to 10 May 2007.

If you would like to submit an abstract, particularly if you are coordinating a SSRS Project involving physicians or paediatricians, the abstract submission deadline is 25 January 2007.

For further information on the Congress, please visit the website at www.racpcongress.com


Specialist Obstetrician Locum Scheme (SOLS)

The Specialist Obstetrician Locum Scheme (SOLS)  is a pilot project funded by the Australian Government, which is designed to supply affordable, quality locum relief to rural obstetricians.

The SOLS pilot commenced in July 2006 and will run for 15 months. It will provide 20 rural obstetricians with subsidised locum support for 14 days and an optional additional 2 weeks of unsubsidised support. 

SOLS are still calling for expressions of interest from specialists interested in either receiving quality locum relief under the SOLS pilot, or acting as a locum.

Please click here to read a copy of their October Newsletter.

For further information you can visit the SOLS website or contact Anna Maloney, SOLS Project Manager on 03 9412 2913 or email amaloney@ranzcog.edu.au