The official release document will be posted shortly in pdf.
The boards of Victoria Felix Medical Education (VFME), a north western Victorian RTP
and Greater Western General Practice Training (GWGPT), a western NSW RTP trading
as GPlogic, have explored opportunities to position their respective companies for the
short, medium and longer term delivery of Australian General Practice Training and
primary health care training support. Both companies share a common border in south
western NSW.
As a result, the boards of both companies have met both informally and formally and
discussed primarily how an alignment of the two companies could enhance the delivery
of the Australian General Practice Training program, increase their collective value to
wider primary health care initiatives, and improve organisational sustainability. On 27
May and 4 June 2009, the Boards of Victoria Felix Medical Education and GPlogic
respectively met and resolved to explore a merger.
The boards subsequently recommended to members to merge the two companies in
order to create a Victorian/NSW cross border rural and regional specialist RTP that will
retain the current benefits of both organisations and capitalise on the increased scale
and capacity that a merger will provide. Management and board representatives
consequently undertook an extensive process of member and stakeholder information
provision in order to further refine the merger recommendation.
On 19 November 2009, both companies held general meetings in order for the members
to cast a vote regarding the merger. The members of both companies unanimously
agreed to approve a merger of the two companies. GWGPT will remain as the company
shell and vehicle to create the necessary legal entity, however the GWGPT trading
name of GPlogic will be changed, although a final decision on the preferred trading
name has not yet been finalised. Head office will be located in Bendigo, Victoria and all
staff will be retained. Current NSW office locations will also be retained. Registrars and
Supervisors will be subject to a no disadvantage test to assure their ongoing
involvement with the ‘new’ entity.
The ‘new’ entity will officially commence operations on January 4 2010.
Further information and consultation will continue to be provided as part of the merger
process. Inquiries can be directed to the respective CEOs of both companies.
Ends
Dr Richard Bills
Chairman
Victoria Felix Medical Education
Prof David Lyle
Chairman
GPlogic
Pain management in your practice - the nuts and bolts
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Pain management in your practice: the nuts and bolts is a highly interactive course designed to update your knowledge and skills in the management of chronic pain, featuring speakers from the Barbara Walker Centre for Pain Management (BWCPM).
This activity has been approved for 40 Category 1 RACGP QA&CPD points (activity number 745573). Approval has also been sought for ACRRM PDP points.
There is also a detailed brochure with payment information at this link.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Position Available - RLO West
Friday, 19 December 2008
Dr Manisha Fernando will be resigning her role as RLO for the VFME East region in early 2010.
The VFME West region comprises the areas covered by the Mallee Division of General Practice, the Ballarat and District Division of General Practice and the WestVic Division of General Practice. As RLO for this region you would be working with Dr Lisa Cheshire (Assistant Director of Training) and Kaye Phillips (the Education Program Co-ordinator) in providing services to the VFME registrars working in practices in these GP Divisions. More information on the role of the RLO can be found in the document on the generic role of the RLO which can be downloaded from the VFME website, as well as the VFME position description for this role.
Dr Peter Graham Bursary for procedural registrars - call for applications for the 2010 award
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
The VFME Board has established an annual bursary to recognise the contribution of Peter Graham to rural procedural practice and to VFME. Peter, who represented ACRRM as a foundation member of the company, served as a Director from the establishment of the company until his death in February 2008. Indeed, it was at Peter’s insistence that this RTP was named ‘Victoria Felix’ – for Peter, this was indeed the lucky part of Victoria.
Position Available - Junior Medical Educator (3 Positions)
Friday, 19 December 2008
The Board of Victoria Felix Medical Education has approved 3 Junior Medical Education (JME) positions for 2010.
These will be two year fixed term positions. The positions are available to current VFME Level 2 (Subsequent) term registrars or recent VFME registrars who have completed the AGPT within the past 2 years.
The link for GPRime is now on the left of the screen under 'home'.
Practice Match Dates
Friday, 07 August 2009
Round 1 –
VFME only (Now Closed)
Opens 6 July 2009
Closes 31 July 2009
Practice Allocation 4 August 2009
Please note that placement allocation information was
distributed via post on Thursday 06/08/2009 if you have not received your
placement information within a few days of this date please contact the VFME
office on (03) 5441 9300
Round 2 – (Now Closed)
Opens 24 August
Closes 2 October
Practice Allocation 5 October
Please note that placement allocation information was
distributed via post on Thursday 08/10/2009 if you have not received your
placement information within a few days of this date please contact the VFME
office on (03) 5441 9300
Round 3 – (Now Closed)
Opens 12 October
Closes 13 November
Practice Allocation starts 16 November
AVANT GP Registrar Teleconference Series
Friday, 09 October 2009
Avant GP Registrar Teleconference Series
Avant is holding a series of medico-legal workshops via teleconference to assist GP Registrars and GP’s in Rural and Remote areas.
Topics include:
End of life decision making
National Registration – what does this mean for the GP Registrar?
Open Course Ware at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's OPENCOURSEWARE (OCW) project provides access to content of the School's most popular courses. As challenges to the world's health escalate daily, the School feels a moral imperative to provide equal and open access to information and knowledge about the obstacles to the public's health and their potential solutions.
Click Here for more information
ACRRM Assessment Dates for 2010
Thursday, 24 September 2009
ACRRM are pleased to present the Assessment Dates for 2010. Please Click Here for the Assessment Enrolment Application Form.
Should you have any queries please contact the Assessment Coordinator, Rachel Holmes on (07) 3105 8200 or email
Fellowship Notice
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
The Victorian Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) program, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, plan to offer a number of part-time (1-2 days per week) fellowships to primary health care practitioners during 2010.
This is just a reminder for all doctors who require a 19AB exemption and are applying for a provider number to start in January 2010. Can you please remind them to have their applications at Medicare Australia by early December. The Dept of Health & Ageing can take up to 28 days to issue a 19AB exemption and if the Doctors send their applications to us after Christmas, they may miss out on the February start date. The Dept will not hurry them up if they apply less than 28 days prior to starting. I know you probably won't be able to let everyone know, but if we can get as many as possible, that would be great.
The doctors need to supply to Medicare Australia:
Application form for location (Click here)
copy of Medical Board registration
copy of current visa/Aust Citz paper
What is the process for obtaining a Medical Provider Number for my Registrars
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
HIC have also changed the content of the HIC form to accommodate the new unit type terminology, and we have changed the form’s name at the request of Medicare. The registrar declaration section has also been shortened with Medicare input – the language has been tidied up and we don’t require registrars to sign for release of billing data as this is covered by the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act).
The GPET Awards are designed to honour significant contributions from individuals and organisations involved in the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, including registrars, supervisors, educators, RTP staff, RTPs, and organisations working closely with RTPs and that contribute to the AGPT program.
Australian General Practice Training applications for 2010 open on 22 May 2009
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
If you are interested in applying for Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) please note that applications will open on 22 May 2009 for the 2010 intake.
Palliative Care Professional Development For Health Professionals
Friday, 10 October 2008
The Centre for Palliative Care Education and Research (CPCER) at St Vincent’s Hospital has developed a University of Melbourne accredited graduate award program in palliative care.
News from Brian Murphy regarding his recent working holiday
I thought I would send a note to Vic Felix, perhaps to go in the newsletter or an email, about my experiences on my sabbatical in Canada.
In February this year my wife Jennifer and I came to live in The town of Sechelt, north of Vancouver in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Our stay is for nine months.
In the past few days, it has come to the attention of the RACGP that there are some potential limitations in medical indemnity cover for general practice registrars. These potential limitations relate to the way in which indemnity cover through medical defence organisations and employer based indemnity cover (eg. for hospital employed doctors) intersect, and the ways in which the varying profile of health care is provided to patients among registrars (eg. ‘moonlighting’ outside training posts). As a result, the RACGP believes that it is prudent for registrars to check that the full scope of their medical practice is covered by insurance (whether that is through their medical defence organisation or their employer). The RACGP is having discussions about these limitations with the medical defence organisations, who have expressed a willingness to look at the issues and consider policy enhancements. This reflects the ongoing importance of confirming the scope of insurance cover whenever there is a change to the scope of your medical practice – something which all GPs, not only registrars, need to keep in the back of their minds.
VFME Newsletter
Friday, 11 April 2008
Please click here to download our latest newsletter! (2 mb file).
RACGP – Pre-Exam Tutorial Series
Thursday, 03 April 2008
VFME has a copy of the RACGP Pre-Exam Tutorial Series on DVD. If you would like to borrow these, please contact Chris Gillies via email
or telephone (03) 5441 9300. Due to demand, you will only be loaned these for three weeks, and asked to return them.
Note: this DVD series is only availble for loan to VFME registrars.
Overview of VFME GPRime for Supervisors
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
What it can do for you while you’re with VFME:
GPRime is the On-Line system that the VFME training program uses for communication, and for keeping track of completion of educational requirements. It is also a powerful educational tool.
The system provides the following:
All communication and document sharing requirements for planned educational events and meetings.
Documentation of educational requirements and documentation of completion of these requirements.
Web based platform for submission of reporting and feedback forms.
Individual learning planners and learning needs analysis tools.
Registrar portfolio of completed learning activities.
Links to quality GP educational sites.
Educational resource sharing.
Group bulk emailing capabilities.
RRIPS & RRMA 3 reform - updated FAQs
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Please see the link below for information on the reforms to RRIPS and RRMA 3.
All registrars who completed their mandatory hospital terms prior to entering the GP Training program are required to complete RPL paperwork for their hospital terms. This must be done in your first year of GP training (i.e. prior to the end of your advanced term). If you have any questions about your RPL, please contact Megan McNair or Kaye Phillips on 5441 9300.
At the recent GPET convention in Brisbane, Dr Gerard Ingham presented a “Curriculum Framework for GP Supervisors”. The curriculum framework was written by Dr Ingham in collaboration with a group of Medical Educators and GP Supervisors in Victoria and Tasmania. The project was funded by a grant from GPET.
The services and resources of the RACGP John Murtagh Library are freely available to Registrars, Medical Educators, Supervisors and RTP staff in the form of a traditional "distance" loans and information service complemented by a growing range of web based resources which can be accessed via the secure areas of our website.
