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MCCC GP Training 2021 Annual Report
ANNUAL REPORT 2021
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Contents
A changing environment 4
Accomplishments and challenges 5
A history of regionalised GP training 6
A year to remember 7
Educating our registrars 8
Leading our regions 9
Training support 10
Our awards 12
A rural focus 14
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - building change 16
Peer education
18
An insight into research
20
Registrar learning support
22
Educating our GPs of the future
23
Our practices
24
Technology focus
27
Embracing our people
28
Organisational chart
29
MCCC GP Training Limited Board of Directors
30
Financial report
33
MCCC at a glance
656
MCCC GP TRAINING ENROLLED REGISTRARS
GENDER
408 FEMALE247 MALE
1 NOT SPECIFIED
AVERAGE AGE – 35 YOUNGEST – 25
OLDEST – 63
CURRENT AS AT 30/1/2022
PRIMARY MEDICAL QUALIFICATION
181
OVERSEAS
475
AUSTRALIA
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
55 COUNTRIES including Australia
TOP 6 COUNTRIES
331 AUSTRALIA
50
INDIA
26
MALAYSIA
25
PAKISTAN
24
SRI LANKA
20
UK
10 YEAR MORATORIUM
214 yes
442 No
TRAINING PATHWAY
• 36% GENERAL
• 1% NOT SPECIFIED
• 57% RURAL
• 6% RURAL GENERALIST
AVERAGE TRAINING TIME
36 MONTHS
TRAINING PROGRAM
566 FRACGP
44 FACRRM
3 FRACGP & FACRRM
43 FRACGP & FARGP
TRAINING IN
82% GENERAL PRACTICE
18% HOSPITALS
2 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
About us
Murray City Country Coast GP Training (MCCC) trains qualified doctors in the specialty of general practice under the curriculum set by the two general practice colleges – the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
Our commitment to quality education provides structure, certainty and opportunities to young doctors building their career. We offer them the highest standard of general practice training and education, equipping them with the specialist skills they need to provide the healthcare our communities deserve.
Proud to partner with university hubs, hospitals and other industry partners, we work together to raise awareness of general practice as a specialty to prospective applicants.
Through our training program our doctors become the confident, highly-qualified, experienced and broadlyskilled GPs of the future.
VISION
Enhancing community health and wellbeing through leadership in general practice education, training, research and workforce development.
GP training regions
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 20213
A changing environment
After a brief respite at the end of 2020 and a return to ‘COVID normal’, those of us living on the Victoria/NSW border had a foretaste of things to come in 2021. On New Year’s Eve, the border was suddenly closed, leaving many queueing for hours to return home, or risk being stranded interstate or having to isolate on their return to Victoria. 2021 was not to be a return to pre-COVID times.
Ongoing lockdowns in Victoria, together with the escalation of the pandemic and the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program, have all taken their toll on our most important stakeholders – our GP registrars, supervisors and practices. I would like to thank them, on behalf of MCCC and our communities, for supporting ongoing GP training, as well as the many hours of challenging clinical work provided to our communities. It’s been a tough two years.
The MCCC Board members were extremely grateful for the ability of our medical education and operations teams to pivot in response to our constantly changing environment, which enabled our registrars and supervisors to continue to participate in an effective education program. Planned face-to-face learning was able to be rapidly replaced with online alternatives and some programs, such as the use of remote technology for ECTVs, have been refined and will be utilised into the future.
The expertise now held by our talented group of medical educators will no doubt be core to development of future medical education programs which will engage, entertain and educate using an online format. Hopefully an integrated program of face-to-face and online activities
will give our registrars the opportunity to learn and network safely in 2022.
Our 2021 exam results certainly bear testament to the skill and flexibility demonstrated by our medical education team. Our medical educators also continue to provide support to a cohort of Practice Experience Program (PEP) participants, with our rural team supporting the work of the Victorian Regional Generalist Training program and mentoring programs through the rural training hubs. I would like to thank the medical education team for their ongoing commitment to providing quality education experiences to our registrars and supervisors in a time of uncertainty.
Of course, COVID-19 is not the only uncertainty in the GP training sector at present. The transition to collegeled training continues to be beset by delays. The MCCC Board has been actively trying to work with all stakeholders, especially the Department of Health, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), to ensure that the transition process is as seamless as possible, whilst at the same time supporting our education and operations teams to present a high quality 2022 education program. We are also assisting with marketing, recruitment and selection for 2023.
However, the glacial pace of progress in the transition process currently does not give us a clear picture of what training in 2023 will look like. Be assured that we are working co-operatively with all parties to try to ensure that future GP training will continue to be a robust, well-supported educational experience. We wait with anticipation the grant opportunities for both education and workforce activities to be finalised, currently with the Department of Health*, so that we can move ahead to an orderly transition.
On behalf of the MCCC Board, I would like to thank the medical education and operations teams and particularly acknowledge the executive team, led by Greg McMeel and our Director of Medical Education and Training, Dr Angelina Salamone - who leads the medical education team - for keeping a calm, steady hand on our operations during the difficult times of 2021.
Please make sure you take time now for some self-care activities. Stay safe.
*As at March 2022
Dr Sue Harrison
Board Chair
4 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Accomplishments and challenges
As college-led training draws nearer (from February 2023), it is worth reflecting on the accomplishments achieved and the challenges remaining in the general practice training landscape.
When regional general practice training began in 2002, few registrars were undertaking their training terms in rural areas. Workforce wasn’t a prime concern for the training program leading up to this point and the rural communities were beginning to struggle. Fast forward to 2022 and over 113 registrars are placed in rural areas each year within our MCCC footprint.
We have consistently reached our quota of attracting 113 rural (and 60 general) registrars to the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, each year since 2016. These registrars are distributed around our regions, so that every training practice has an opportunity to participate in the program. However, when their training finishes, it is clear that a good proportion of these registrars do not remain in rural areas.
The challenge of workforce distribution and retention remains and will now be taken up by a new organisation when MCCC is disbanded.
College-led training will look different in 2023. The workforce distribution task will separate from the colleges’ education program and payment for teaching and supervision will be made directly from the Commonwealth department.
These changes may seem obscure at the moment, but know that we will work closely with these parties to ensure the excellent foundation we have laid and the education structure we have developed over the years, is carried forward into the future.
As the CEO responsible for the entire regional training journey, I am very grateful for the dedication and investment made by the GP supervisors of the training program, sometimes given without a return on investment. The supervisor commitment is critical to the ongoing success of the program.
I also thank the registrars for continuing to choose MCCC as your training region. I trust that our education program and support team has and will continue to meet your needs.
To the wonderful staff and MCCC Board, your support to the program, your dedication to the work and your resilience under the pressures that face us, has been outstanding.
I look forward to 2022 with optimism. We have a great opportunity to help build the next phase of the AGPT program and ensure the high standard of general practice training continues into the future.
Greg McMeel
Chief Executive Officer
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 20215
A history of regionalised GP training
In 1998, the Federal Health Minister received a commissioned report that favoured college-led general practice training with new governance and performance requirements – but the two colleges and other stakeholders were unable to agree.
The minister therefore chose the most drastic and disruptive of four options and created an independent authority to lead general practice training. General Practice Education and Training (GPET) had a board that represented all stakeholders, including the GP colleges, but it answered to the Federal Health Minister. This report describes the changes in the Australian Government health workforce approach from 2001 – 2021.
Over the years, there has been the perennial argument as to what should be regionalised and what should be centralised. Regionalised governance and delivery are seen as more relevant, while a centralised model seen as more consistent. We know there is a never-ending cycle variously prioritising one or the other and not only in health, training and workforce.
In 2002, 23 Regional Training Providers (RTPs) were formed to deliver the Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT). It was a high point of regionalisation, with each RTP governed by a board of local stakeholders. At this point there were five providers of GP training in
Victoria: Victoria Metropolitan Alliance, Vic Felix GP Training, Bogong Regional Training Network, Gippsland Education and Training for GP and Greater Green Triangle GP Education and Training. It is a fact that these smaller programs were just as efficient as the larger Regional Training Organisations (RTOs) that exist today.
However, as soon as the program was regionalised, the government policy cycle of centralising GP training had begun. The 23 RTPs were quickly 22, then 17, then 16. In 2015, the government closed GPET following agitation from some stakeholders and transferred its functions to the Federal Health Department, including the AGPT contract. Geographic boundaries were re-drawn and the remaining RTPs had to reinvent themselves into nine RTOs. In Victoria, the five RTPs became two RTOs – Eastern Victoria General Practice Training and Murray City Country Coast GP Training.
In 2017, the Federal Health Minister announced that GP training would again be college-led and not led by the Department of Health (DOH). This time the decision was made without prior stakeholder consultation or review of the AGPT program. In fact, one college was completely unaware of the decision at the time.
Since then, the majority of training responsibilities has been returned to both colleges along with the funding to deliver them. The AGPT contracts were to be novated from the DOH to the two colleges by 2021 but this proved vexing and in late 2020 the DOH announced it would no longer support the novation. We were back to the drawing board trying to define what was and was not college-led training and the place of a government agenda within core college business.
Now the AGPT program is to be broken up. There is a call for nationally consistent payments to practices, supervisors and registrars and a call for a Workforce Organisation Network (WON) to coalesce all departmental workforce programs, regardless of their participants, the resources on the ground to deliver services to those participants, or the unique context for both.
The training and education component will now be given to two colleges to run two separate programs. The workforce component will be given to the WON through a Grant Opportunity (GO). The direct payments to participants will go to Health Services Australia.
In 2023, the centralising of the regional GP training model will be complete, but we are proud of our achievements and the legacy we leave behind.
Greg McMeel
Chief Executive Officer
6 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
A year to remember
I’d like to draw on a rather unusual analogy for general practice training in 2021. As the long-awaited Summer Olympics were finally held in Japan, the very different experience our athletes encountered had many synergies with our registrars’ experience of GP training in that year.
Our athletes finished sixth overall in the medal tally, a magnificent effort, however their experience was almost a polar opposite from previous Olympics. The impacts from COVID-19 were wide-spread – negating the usual camaraderie between countries and even cheering on their peers. Athletes experienced isolation, training restrictions and a much-reduced capacity to celebrate or commiserate their wins and losses with family and friends. Their achievements are a testament to their strength and determination.
Our GP registrars experienced a raft of similar challenges – further online learning, delayed starts, increased technology use – from webinars to telehealth – together with less peer-to-peer interaction and face-to-face activities. The challenges reverberated across their training experience.
But somehow, like our athletes, they succeeded against the odds, embracing their online learning and achieving excellent exam results, resulting in many registrars successfully fellowing. I would like to sincerely thank them for these very positive outcomes, as well as for their perseverance, dedication and resilience – despite the challenges faced.
Our practices and supervisors also showed great initiative, resilience and innovation, managing to continue teaching a range of vital skills to our registrars, despite the challenges they experienced. And so, accolades to them for their ability to adapt and the commitment they have shown to our registrars in continuing to provide high-quality training during a time of immense change and disruption.
Operationally, Zoom meetings and webinars were well attended throughout the year, with remote External Clinical Teaching Visits (ECTVs) proving popular with practices, registrars and staff alike. In between lockdowns and restrictions, some face-to-face meetings were able to be successfully conducted, with our operations and medical education teams remained agile, innovative and proactive to make best use of opportunities as they arose – doing their very best to ensure our registrars’ training continued unimpeded.
2021 also saw 162 Practice Experience Program (PEP) participants, supported by 22 medical educators. Activities included monthly simulated patient consultation workshops, group case-based discussions and participant multi-source feedback, as well as quarterly webinars and medical education meetings. Remote direct observations,
random case analysis, or case-based discussions, were held weekly, together with combined medical education and operations team meetings.
I would like to also thank our medical education and operations teams, for their ability to pivot during this challenging year and the ongoing dedication they have shown to general practice training.
To the medical education team, for their commitment to excellence in GP training, as well as the flexibility and initiative they have shown in continuing to achieve such high standards in education.
The operations team has also shown agility, innovation and commitment and should be applauded for their successes and the support they have shown to the registrars, supervisors, practices and medical education team.
I’d also like to thank the board, executive and senior management team for their guidance and support in this uncertain and ever-changing environment.
Not only surviving, but thriving through 2021, goes to prove what a resilient group of people those involved with general practice training are, all rising to the challenge to support each other and ensuring the success of general practice training.
It is with sadness that I reflect on this as my final report for MCCC, but I am confident we have laid an excellent foundation for general practice training over the last six years and feel very hopeful for the future of GP training in Australia.
Dr Angelina Salamone
Director of Medical Education and Training
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 20217
Educating our registrars
Reflecting on the context COVID-19 presented at the end of 2020 and the ongoing uncertainty, the Education Program Development and Delivery Team decided to begin 2021 online, utilising the technology-enhanced learning strategies we had developed in the previous year.
We were confident that the further building of eLearning skills, knowledge and capability across the team would result in an engaging and relevant start for our registrars. Our plan was to incorporate face-to-face workshops from early April 2021 onwards.
As the COVID environment shifted gears, we faced ongoing challenges and worked systematically to incorporate and optimise face-to-face education time to augment the 2020 webinar program and to further develop core eLearning activities across all training terms.
In particular, the out-of-practice education program for Training Term 1 and 2 registrars was reviewed and updated based on the evaluation carried out during the latter half of 2020.
The 2021 program incorporated not only the core education activities, but additional opportunities for registrars to network with medical educators, their peers and other content specialists, in engaging and participatory online events.
A priority in our design and development processes was the opportunity for registrars to be, and learn, together. We were also able to continue the facilitation of a complimentary program of support for our registrars, as they continued to manage COVID-related challenges in their practice.
The out-of-practice education program for our Training Term 3 registrars was also adjusted based on an evaluation completed in 2020. We were able to increase
the time these registrars had in workshops or webinars with their peers.
This corresponding online learning program continued as an opportunity for registrars to select learning activities in a range of modes to complement their individual learning plans. We were pleased to be able to offer an outstanding evening webinar program which included topics such as:
• Recognising, diagnosing and managing dementia in general practice
• Psychological strategies
• Workcover and TAC
• Grief and bereavement.
Throughout 2021, the medical education team continued to develop their technology-enhanced learning capabilities to ensure that our time in the virtual world enabled success in achieving a high-quality program.
Towards the end of 2021, the medical education team participated in a range of professional development activities to ensure the education program continued to be evidence based, particularly considering the current context and learnings from the changes made as a result of COVID impacts.
We look forward to 2022 as we continue to utilise our skills, knowledge and experiences as highly-skilled medical educators, adjusting to the requirements of a COVID-safe environment, whilst ensuring the facilitation of an exceptional out-of-practice education program, that meets the needs of our stakeholders.
Jenny Vibert
Program Manager - Education Program Development and Delivery Unit
8 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Leading our regions
2021 continued to bring further challenges related to the pandemic and with it the opportunity to utilise technology to maximise educational opportunities, improve the flow of information and minimise disruption to both registrars and practices.
In some ways 2021 was easier than 2020, with people feeling more confident with remote learning, telehealth and trying to adapt to a COVID life. But some found it much harder, suffering with the prolonged uncertainty and COVID fatigue.
COVID impacts varied within our regions and we navigated a balance between a consistent approach and adapting to localised needs. We recognise that some areas had an incredibly difficult year and we were diligent in our approach to support those practices and registrars. As Regional Heads of Education we need to be mindful of the continued resilience of our educators and the vulnerabilities of our registrars and practices.
Maintaining communication with our stakeholders around the transition to college-led training was critical. It was clear that registrars, practices and supervisors were experiencing a degree of anxiety about the uncertainty and lack of clarity surrounding both the process itself and the expected outcomes. We continue to plan practice manager and supervisor education for updates during our final year.
Seeking practical solutions, such as bringing forward accreditation dates to ensure no practice requires accreditation within the first few months of college-led training, as well as preparing fellowship documents for registrars who will be eligible for fellowship on the transition date, are some of the pro-active measures we took to assist the transition to college-led training.
One notable challenge during 2021 was the change from the RACGP Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to the Remote Clinical Exam (RCE) and then the Clinical Competency Exam (CCE) across all regions. To help registrars prepare and become familiar with these new exam formats we ran webinars and produced mock exams.
The Education Program Development and Delivery team, together with the workshop teams across all regions have embraced the challenge of 2021 with enthusiasm.
Our teaching program has continued to adapt, prioritising safety and flipping between online and face-to-face activities, according to local COVID restrictions. We even managed to provide some face-to-face activities in 2021, when restrictions permitted and all participants clearly valued this.
Some registrar cohorts did have a disrupted training experience, with extensive telehealth and limited face-toface
contact, however we adapted our training program to support these registrars and will adjust again to the needs of future registrars whose hospital training has been impacted by COVID.
We appreciate the way our practices continue to be flexible, embracing remote ECTVs. There is evidence to support that remote ECTVs provide great learning opportunities and we will continue to proceed with a mix of both face-to-face and remote.
Thanks to our supervisors and practices for their ongoing support for our registrars, the training program and our organisation as a whole. We acknowledge it has been another incredibly challenging year in GP and we’re proud of how our practices have adapted and continued to provide high-quality training.
We would also like to thank our medical educators and the operations team, who have worked tirelessly in very difficult circumstances. Their flexibility, persistence and creative problem-solving has been incredible and we are very grateful to work with such fantastic teams.
2022 will bring new challenges, we have no doubt, but we are committed to ensuring minimal disruption to practices, registrars and supervisors, as well as working with the colleges to facilitate a smooth transition to college-led training.
Dr Rachel Lee - north west region Dr Marg Garde - south west region Dr Ursula Read - north east region Dr Thanh Nguyen - metro west region Regional Heads of Education
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 20219
Training support
The operations team support our registrars, practices, supervisors and stakeholders as a first point of contact, also undertaking activities including selection and placement, the event coordination of training activities and administration of training progression.
We celebrate the success of the team in 2021, who continued to provide these services virtually as COVID-19 restrictions continued.
During 2021, we successfully completed placement and selection, supported accreditation processes, seamlessly continued with webinars and learning activities and continued our established stakeholder working relationships – all predominantly in a virtual environment. These achievements were key to the successful delivery of the program.
As we move towards college-led training, the team continues to provide a professional point of contact for our stakeholders, offering support, advice and empathy.
Our focus is now on helping our registrars and practices through the transition and the continuity of our services - working in partnership with the colleges while we navigate this change.
Jacque Porter
Chief Operations Officer
10 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Our awards
Community engagement awards
Dr Libby Garoni
Supervisor Dr Libby Garoni was awarded a community engagement award in 2021 for her contribution to firefighting, schooling and sporting endeavours in north east Victoria.
Libby has worked as a GP at the Mount Beauty Medical Centre for 22 years. Alongside her dedicated work with the Bogong and Gundowring CFA, Bright and Myrtleford equestrian groups and the Mount Beauty School council, this makes Libby a key member of her community and a worthy recipient of our community engagement award. See Libby’s acceptance video here.
Dr Laura Nield
Registrar Dr Laura Nield was recognised as a worthy winner of a 2021 community engagement award for her dedication to general practice and commitment to her community.
Training in Mildura in our north west region, Laura made significant contributions to environmental causes, working on waste-reduction initiatives Alice Springs Zero Waste and Plastic Free Sunraysia.
She was active in health promotion activities including RunRona and the Kidney Health Red Socks Appeal. See Laura’s acceptance video here.
Anglesea Medical
Anglesea Medical, in our south west region, was recognised with a 2021 community engagement award for launching a program aiming to create meaningful intergenerational connection.
The From 9 to 90 initiative uses letter writing to connect grade three and four students with older people in the community and was developed in conjunction with Anglesea Primary, Anglesea Aged Care and the Anglesea Men’s Shed. See their acceptance video here.
Gateway Health Wodonga
A 2021 community engagement award was presented to Gateway Health Wodonga, in our north east region, to recognise the practice’s commitment to accessible inpractice telehealth, health promotion to the Congolese community and services for vulnerable community members.
The practice was able to carry out these community initiatives while also facing the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a noteworthy effort. See their statement here.
Registrar extension awards
Dr Sarah Lim
Dr Sarah Lim received a 2021 registrar extension award in recognition of her enthusiasm and commitment in caring for her local community.
Sarah was training at both Strathfieldsaye Primary Health and Bendigo Community Health Services in our north west region, when she won this award. Her focus is on providing appropriate care to the LGBTIQ+ community and she aspires to become a rural generalist. See Sarah’s acceptance video here.
Dr Mardi Beck
Delighted to be awarded with a 2021 registrar extension award, Dr Mardi Beck planned to use her registrar extension award to fund participation in a leadership for clinicians course. The course will help her develop her knowledge, skills and confidence to effect change in supporting healthcare services.
Mardi was our Registrar Liaison Officer for the metro west region – supporting her fellow registrars and acting as a liaison between registrars and MCCC. See Mardi’s acceptance video here.
Dr Daniel Wong
Dr Daniel Wong, training in our metro west region, was another worthy winner of one of our registrar extension awards for 2021, displaying a great enthusiasm for general practice. Selecting areas of work he is passionate about, is one of the many reasons he chose to become a GP.
He planned to use the award funds to attend the AusPATH 2021 conference, developing his skills and knowledge in the area of trans health. See Daniel’s acceptance video here.
Dr Clare Matheson
With a raft of achievements to her name, Dr Clare Matheson was recognised with a 2021 registrar extension award.
Clare was a final term registrar in our metro west region at the time. She is passionate about general practice for the involvement with the community it offers.
She has experience in working in the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre and planned to use the funds from her award win to pursue opportunities that further her work in women’s and sexual health. See Clare’s acceptance video here.
12 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Rural talent development awards
Molly Cookson – University of Melbourne
Final-year medical student, Molly Cookson, was the recipient of one of our rural talent development awards for 2021. Molly is from a farming family and appreciates the difficulty of attracting GPs to rural settings.
“In the future, I want to prevent this and be part of the solution. I aim to train as a rural generalist, which will allow me to service the community, both as a GP and in the hospital setting,” she said.
Molly would like to complete an advanced skill in emergency health or obstetrics, due to the importance of these skills to rural communities. See Molly’s acceptance video here.
Risdon Weatherall – University of Melbourne
Risdon grew up in north east Victoria and enjoyed a fantastic rural lifestyle, which he missed when he moved to the city. His mother was a local GP obstetrician and he recognises the huge contribution she made to the community and the respect and love she received in return.
“Rural GP and rural generalist pathways are so exciting to me as they give the opportunity to provide grass roots medicine in a truly wonderful part of the world…and to any med students considering a placement in rural Australia, go for it – you’ll have a great time,” he said.
Risdon’s medical student placement in Wangaratta and Bright further cemented his interest in rural medicine, highlighting the importance of a Rural GP to a healthy and thriving community and the real connection they have with their patients. See Risdon’s acceptance video here.
Miriam Brownstein – Deakin University
Final-year Deakin medical student Miriam Brownstein has a remarkable story of how she developed her passion for rural general practice.
“Growing up here [in Timboon] really ignited my passion for medicine itself and also rural medicine…So, the GPs [here} were actually my parents, my mum was a GP obstetrician and my dad was a GP anaethetist and they ran the hospital…they were delivering babies, performing caesarians and minor surgeries...which meant that my community didn’t have to travel far to receive quality healthcare,” she said.
Miriam’s first-hand insight into the essential contribution of the town’s two GPs truly reflects what rural general practice means to a community. See Miriam’s acceptance video here.
Emma Sutton – Deakin University
Emma is thrilled that winning one of our rural talent development awards will assist her financially in being able to pursue a rural placement.
“For me the drive to become a rural generalist comes from a few places…I’ve always been the type of student that has fallen in love with every single specialty that I’ve come into contact with…They say rural generalists wear a lot of hats and that this trait in wanting to do it all is encouraged…I want to practice cradle-to-grave medicine…and be a permanent fixture in a rural town, being able to provide the continuity of care that all Australians deserve,” she said.
Emma has a deep passion for rural Victoria and has always wanted to become a doctor to help those who are most underserved in the community. See Emma’s acceptance video here.
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202113
A rural focus
Over the past six years, we have made great gains in training the right doctors with the right skills and placing them in the right places. All to better meet the health needs of rural and regional communities within our vast Western Victorian training footprint.
In 2021, 85 new AGPT rural pathway trainees commenced training in over 90 general practice and hospital training locations across our region. They joined a cohort of 274 registrars already undertaking rural training under RACGP or ACRRM curricula.
Key achievements
AGPT rural medical education
In 2021, our dedicated rural medical education team, led by Dr Peter Keppel, worked with GP supervisors across our regions to deliver a flexible, highly-supported program of quality medical education program to 359 rural registrars, ensuring that each registrar had access to a dedicated general practice training advisor and advanced skills posts.
The team delivered:
• ACRRM supervisor training via webinars
• Dedicated, one-on-one pre-exam support delivered by our medical educators
• Education in emergency medicine via REST or ALS training
• Provision of mock ACRRM MCQ and CGT Stamps exams
• Access to multi-RTO CGT Stamps exams
• Paid support to ACRRM registrars to sit MSF assessment
• Collaboration with the RACGP rural team, including
monitoring
and
training
assistance
for
FARGP
candidates
• Provision of coordinated and targeted support to our three rural Regional Heads of Education, as well as the Registrar Education and Practice Support Coordinators (REAPS) responsible for registrar management across our footprint.
Stakeholder engagement, strategic programs and partnerships
In 2021, Ann Ellis retired from her role as Manager Rural Program. Anna Stephenson stepped into Ann’s role to continue her legacy of regional capacity and partnership building.
As Chair of the Dr Jump Regional Victoria Medical Mentoring program, Anna is leading the growth of the program’s visibility and its ability to support succession planning for Victoria’s rural doctors.
Other initiatives have involved working across our operational and medical education teams to foster collaboration. One such initiative involved the shared facilitation of webinars designed to educate regional health services in accreditation and management of registrar placements.
Our rural team worked closely with the recently established Victorian Rural Generalist Program (VRGP) as a key enabler. We were involved in the development of VRGP’s Rural Generalist Advanced pathway, a highly active member of four VRGP regional networks and a member of the VRGP State Reference Committee.
In this role, we continue to support the recruitment, retention and educational progress of Rural Generalist (RG) registrars undertaking advanced skills and consolidation of skills training through the VRGP collaborative training model.
We have delivered a broad range of key supports including:
• Accreditation of Advanced Skills Posts (ASPs) on behalf of RACGP and ACRRM
• Joint RG marketing and recruitment initiatives which increased the number and breadth of opportunities for registrars on the RG pathway, in both hospital and primary care settings across regional and rural communities
• Commenced the work of strengthening regional networks ahead of the transition to college-led training in 2023.
Anna Stephenson
Manager Rural Program
Dr Peter Keppel
Rural Medical Educator Team Leader
14 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202115
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - building change
Establishment of a collaborative learning community
In 2021, special projects funding was used to formally establish a learning community for TT3/4 registrars from both MCCC and EVGP Training working in Aboriginal Medical Services across Victoria.
GP registrars commencing work in Aboriginal Medical Services have unique learning needs compared to their TT3/4 peers in mainstream medical services.
The goal of establishing a registrar-driven peer learning community is to improve their educational experience, reduce sense of isolation, increase retention of these GPs working post-fellowship in the Aboriginal Health field and also to create a critical mass of newly-fellowed GPs with interest and experience in Aboriginal health and education who can drive improvements in the future.
The group met once a month via Zoom in varying formats, including registrar-led case discussions, cultural education – led by Aunty Nellie Flagg and guest speakers presenting on expert topic areas.
Registrars grew in confidence in presenting cases from their own recent experience and leading the discussion, with guidance from Aunty Nellie and GP Supervisor at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op, Dr Ed Poliness.
They presented cases relating to a variety of complex topics including pelvic pain, antenatal care, diabetes management and complex PTSD, among others. At each session, biomedical, psychosocial and cultural aspects of the case were discussed to give both the presenting registrar ideas for how to best work with and support the patient and also for the learning of other registrars.
Guest speakers throughout the year included:
• Daria Atkinson, Bringing Them Home Worker from VAHS. To coincide with National Sorry Day, Daria shared her experiences and knowledge about the Stolen Generation and the National Apology
• Dr Alyssa Vass, former MCCC Aboriginal Health and academic registrar used some case studies from her time as a registrar to explore themes around racism in healthcare and acknowledging white privilege
Photo top left: L to R Virginia Lovell, who is a proud Palawa Women from Tasmania (Lutruwita) Born on Lairmairrener country and the current MCCC Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer.
Aunty Nellie Flagg, is a descendant and Traditional landowner of Wemba Wemba, Dja Dja Wurrung and Boonwurrung and is a respected member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Victoria. Aunty Nellie has worked for and with First Nation Peoples for over 30 years and is an MCCC Cultural Educator.
Fiona Capewell, a proud Bidjara Woman from Gunggari Country. A Queenslander through and through, born out west in Charleville. Fiona is the Aboriginal Health Administration Officer.
Photo bottom left: Breast Screening Health Day in Bendigo. Aunty Nellie Flagg with shawl on Aboriginal Country Dja Dja Wurrung.
16 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Photo top right: Cultural staff training day in Geelong, Fiona Capewell (left), Aunty Nellie Flagg (right), Robynne Nelson (centre). Robynne facilitated the day and is a proud Yorta Yorta, Jaara, Waywurru woman, with over 35 years’ experience in Aboriginal
Affairs, nursing in three states, recruitment and 26 years consultancy across Victoria in a range of sectors. Robynne and her husband Larry also run Culcha Camps for MCCC registrars, supervisors and staff.
Photo middle right: Community engagement booth on Aboriginal Country Dja Dja Wurrung – Bendigo. Aunty Nellie Flagg (left) chatting with attendees.
Photo bottom right: Aunty Nellie Flagg (right) and participants at the Wathaurong Registrars’ Aboriginal Health and Cultural Day Workshop, on Country Wathaurong/ Wadawurrung – Geelong at ‘Wurdi Uyou Yang’ property in Lara.
• Dr Crystal Williams, Consultant Dermatologist and Gabrielle Ebsworth, Aboriginal Health Worker from the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dermatology Service gave us an overview of their service and a clinical presentation on Hydradenitis Suppurativa, a serious but often under-diagnosed condition that requires complex holistic management.
The connections made through these guest speaking opportunities have led to further exciting educational opportunities. We are now working with Dr Williams and Gabrielle to establish a regular Dermatology Journal Club for GPs across Victoria working in Aboriginal Health Services.
Despite overcoming the logistical barriers raised by COVID-19, our best efforts to bring the group together for an overnight face-to-face camp on Yorta Yorta country under the guidance of Uncle Larry Jackson were stifled at the last moment by forecast thunderstorms. We hope to organise this activity again in 2022 to increase enthusiasm and commitment in this learning community.
Dr Jess Madden
Medical Educator – north east region
MCCC Hospital Registrar Cultural Awareness Pilot Project
In the second half of 2021, MCCC successfully partnered with Barwon Health, Wathaurong Aboriginal Health Service and Waddawurrung Traditional Owners to facilitate cultural training for hospital registrars and those completing advanced and extended skills terms at Barwon Health. This project was enabled by a grant from Department of Health.
Registrars were able to learn more about our region’s Aboriginal cultural history and how best to engage and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to help improve healthcare outcomes through a series of webinars and a day on Country at Wurdi Youang, the Aboriginal Controlled land near Little River at the base of the You Yangs.
We would like to thank Renee Owen, Program Manager and the incredible team from the Barwon Health Aboriginal Health Unit and Jordi Edwards, Cultural Advisor Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op for their input in helping develop and deliver the program. Thanks also to Aunty Nellie Flagg, MCCC Cultural Educator for her guidance and contribution to the pilot program’s success – and hopeful continuation in years to come.
Dr Ed Poliness
Medical Educator – south west region
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202117
Peer education
It was both a privilege and a challenge to be working as the Registrar Medical Educator (RME) for the north west region throughout 2021, navigating the maze of COVID-19 lockdowns and ‘flipping’ in and out of webinars and faceto-face workshops.
Together with delivering education content with the medical education team, I was able support registrar learning through fortnightly ‘RME Bulletins’, as well as facilitating after-hours, peer support sessions – an informal way of connecting with peers and navigating the potential isolation of training during a pandemic.
I also had the opportunity to create exam questions for the new MCCC AKT Mock Exam, write supervisor summaries – advising supervisors on what their registrars have learnt at our workshops – and assist in creating the catch-up program for registrars who have missed parts of the workshop programs.
I look forward to stepping up into a medical education role in 2022 and would like to thank MCCC for all the help and support this year.
Dr Laura Nield
Registrar Medical Educator North west region
18 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202119
An insight into research
Team members were Dr Duncan Howard (Project Lead), Associate Professor Janet McLeod (Academic Lead), Dr Christine Bottrell (Senior Research Fellow), Nicole White (Research Project Manager), Dr Denise Ruth (Medical Educator) and Dr Kate Davey (Medical Educator).
Portfolio overview
Throughout 2021, the Research and Evaluation Working group met fortnightly and worked around evaluation, as well as more traditional areas for research including running ERG projects, supporting the academic registrars and running webinars. The group finished up at the end of 2021.
Team members
2021 members were: Dr Duncan Howard (Team Leader), Dr Christine Bottrell (Senior Research Fellow), Nicole White (Research Support Officer), Sara Newton (Quality Improvement Coordinator and VRGP Project Senior Researcher), Dr Mark Burgemeister (NE Medical Educator) and Malia Lardelli (VRGP Project Research Coordinator).
SPADE - Supervisor and Training Practice Audit: Development and Evaluation
This action research project was trialling the feasibility of delivering a bespoke professional development activity in training posts, rather than have supervisors attend external events. It is hoped that delivering professional development in the workplace will be more relevant to supervisors and overcome the well-known ‘transfer of training’ problem. The project is due to finish in March 2022. Team members: Gerard Ingham, Tim Clement, and Katrina Anderson (Associate Professor at the Australian National University). A guidebook for medical educators on how to deliver this quality improvement-based intervention is available here on the University of Melbourne website.
VRGP Evaluation of Advanced GP Obstetric Training
MCCC tendered successfully for a project funded by the Department of Health (DOH) through the Victorian Rural Generalist Program (VRGP) looking at Advanced Obstetric Training for Rural GP Trainees. The aim is to work out what aspects of training or other factors can contribute to rural GP obstetric trainees successfully completing the training and going on to practice obstetrics in a rural area. This project is due to finish in late April 2022. Team members. Dr Duncan Howard (Lead Investigator), Sara Newton (Senior Researcher) and Malia Lardelli, (Project Coordinator).
Research strategy and plan
The MCCC Strategic Plan Research 2019 – 2021 triennium concluded at the end of 2021 details are on our website in the research portal.
Research activity
Remote ECTV project
This project, due to be completed at the end of February, explored the introduction of remote ECTVs to MCCC. The pandemic necessitated this mode of delivering the ECTV and the project looked at how this was for the different participants and the implications for future practice. A presentation was made to the Medical Educator Professional Development Day in November 2021.
20 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Dr Lauren Cussen 2021 academic registrar
The academic registrar program
There were three academic registrars in 2021, Chang- June Jung and Brent Venning with RACGP and Lauren Cussen with ACRRM. We continued to work on making the academic posts accessible and practicable for rural registrars. In 2022 there will again be three academic registrars, one of whom will be able to stay rurally, whilst undertaking the post with the University of Melbourne.
It was pleasing to see that the registrars found their academic post experience inspiring and very worthwhile.
“It was a great experience to learn another aspect of GP work – academic GP. I was exposed to various teaching and research activities in a very supportive environment. [This] has provided opportunities to work as an academic GP. I highly recommend to anyone who would like to develop teaching and research skills,” said Chang-June Jung (Jun).
“The academic registrar program was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the centre of medicine, which is research. The team was inspiring and the research in the University of Melbourne’s department of general practice was captivating. I learnt skills that will be of benefit to me and my community well into the future,” said Lauren Cussen.
Dr Chang-June Jung 2021 academic registrar
Publications and presentations
A comprehensive reference list of publications and recent presentations can be found here in the research section on our website.
An article reporting on the ‘Metamorphosi’ project undertaken in 2019 by Christine Bottrell and Duncan Howard will be published in the AJGP in May 2022.
Summary
The conclusion of the three-year research strategic plan at the end of 2021 coincided with the wind-up of the research portfolio at MCCC. The remaining three research projects will finish up in 2022. It is expected that there will be further publications and presentations as part of the dissemination of these projects.
Dr Duncan Howard
Education Portfolio Manager - Research
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202121
Registrar learning support
Registrar monitoring
2021 has continued to present challenges for practices, registrars and GP training generally.
We developed and trialled new assessment modalities in 2021:
• The use of an online registrar self-reflection and practice feedback tool, to aid in identification of professionalism issues at the start of training term 2. This replaced the practice manager feedback tool
• The Term 3 Assessment was refined with a new standard set written paper, designed to demonstrate progression of knowledge from the Further Assessment as well as sample knowledge more broadly from all curriculum areas.
RACGP also changed their clinical exam to the Clinical Competency Exam (CCE), so new cases were developed and a mock exam took place in each region to allow registrars to practice timing and format.
2022 brings the challenge of training responsibility moving to RACGP and ACRRM and we are already working with RACGP to trial some of the proposed work-based assessments to hopefully enable a smooth transition for all stakeholders.
Dr Cath Beasley
Team Leader – Registrar Monitoring, Assessment and Progression
Pastoral support
The additional stress of the burden of COVID-19 on both personal lives and clinical practice continued to be felt in 2021, with increased levels of funding being requested for psychological support. The Pastoral and Learning Support (PALS) team remained very busy across all areas during this time.
A new page was developed within the MCCC website to clarify pathways for wellbeing support, via both MCCC and externally. This offers a range of practical advice, as well as signposting to a variety of valuable resources.
Despite these challenges, we continued to recognise and reward high performing registrars via the Registrar Extension Awards.
We also celebrated the success of several registrars who achieved fellowship, after multiple exam attempts, to ultimately achieve their goals.
Dr Hilda Jessop
Portfolio Lead - Pastoral and Learning Support
22 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Educating our GPs of the future
Supervisor professional development
The past 12 months has seen a significant shift in our requirement for supervisor professional development (PD) as outlined in our policy, ED 025 Supervisor PD Requirements.
In June 2021, we launched the new supervisor PD framework. All MCCC general practice supervisors are now required to complete four educational modules (SuperMod) to maintain their accreditation as an MCCC supervisor.
The original plan was for these to be completed over a threeyear cycle however, because of the transition to collegeled training in 2023, these will need to be completed by 1 October 2022 to ensure supervisor accreditation will be transferred into the new training entity.
To supplement the online requirements, our standard PD education program has continued in all regions, in both webinar and face-to-face formats, as necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have also expanded the supervisor PD opportunities to include an evening webinar series which has covered a wide range of topics and will be continuing throughout 2022.
The Supervisor Support Team is in contact with both ACRRM and RACGP to ensure a smooth transition for supervisor PD requirements in 2023 and beyond.
Dr Kate Davey
Supervisor PD and Support Lead
Accreditation
In 2021 the accreditation team continued to work hard to ensure that supervisors and training posts were accredited to the standards of ACRRM and RACGP. A review of forms, policies and documents led to simplification and streamlining.
We strengthened relationships with rural hospital-based training posts via webinar and will continue to work with all the clinics and hospitals supporting our registrars.
In 2022 the focus will shift to ensuring all training posts are accredited into or beyond 2023 for a smooth transition to college-led training.
We would like to thank all the training posts for their work on meeting and exceeding required standards and for working with us on accreditation and re-accreditation.
Dr Elspeth Harrison
Accreditation Subject Matter Expert
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202123
Photo below: L to R: Dr Richard Mayes, Dr Dominic Blanks, Dr Mark Farrugia
Our practices
Lyttleton Street Medical Clinic
New owners and MCCC supervisors, Dr Richard Mayes, Dr Dominic Blanks and Dr Mark Farrugia continue the Lyttleton Street Medical Clinic (LSMC) tradition of providing training and education to a new generation of GPs.
The Castlemaine practice, in Central Victoria, offers medical students and registrars the opportunity to experience rural general practice in a safe learning environment, with doctors and staff committed to their education.
“Flexible training options, including O&G placements with Maryborough and Castlemaine Hospitals and shared placements with Bendigo Community Health Services, helps to provide a full rural GP experience,” Practice Manager Belinda Carra said.
“Creating robust systems and processes, acknowledging family commitment and offering a work life balance, is the key to the successful recruitment and retention of registrars.
“With three registrars and two GPs all having new babies, we created a roster system with allocated times for new mums to express. A quiet space was set aside with tea and coffee, music and a place to store their milk,” Belinda said.
A weekly breakfast study group has also been established, so registrars planning to sit exams can enjoy the company of other GPs in a relaxed environment.
Mount Beauty Medical Clinic
Mount Beauty Medical Clinic (MBMC) is a nine-doctor mixed billing practice in north east Victoria. MBMC is a perfect place to become involved in the holistic care of the residents and visitors from the cradle to the grave – with the added excitement of tending to adventure sport injuries, including all manner of trauma and management of hypothermia at the branch practice at Falls Creek in the winter months.
“Our five GP supervisors with their individual sub-specialties including anaesthetics, women’s health, children’s health, alpine sports injuries, emergency care and population health are all keen teachers and regularly supervise our two registrars, our intern in winter and two full-time medical students,” GP Supervisor Dr Mark Zagorski said.
“They all have immediate access to a supervisor during consulting hours, as well as access to them when on-call after hours.
“With on-site radiology at MBMC, Falls Creek and at Mt Beauty hospital, our registrars learn the basics of radiography.
“The visiting surgeon, paediatrician, cardiologist and telehealth endocrinologists provide great learning opportunities for all our learners as do the visiting allied health workers (podiatrist, optometrist, dietitian, diabetes educator and counsellors) and practice nurses,” Dr Zagorski said.
Registrars, students and interns at MBMC are encouraged to take part in community activities and attend regular practice gatherings.
Photo top left: Dr Laura Zagorski, Dr Mark Zagorski, Dr Brett Goodsall Photo bottom left: Dr Laura Zagorski
24 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Photo above: L to R - Dr Julian Cassar, Dr Jenni Lyne, Dr Platon Vafiadis, Dr Daniela Bibovski-Trajkovska, Dr Vesna Pepic
IPC Health Deer Park
Established for over 40 years, IPC Health Deer Park (IPC) is a not-for-profit community health service providing both acute and complex medical care.
IPC prides itself on great teamwork and a welcoming, supportive environment for registrars, offering them a comprehensive orientation and a range of onsite professional education activities to enhance their learning.
Clinic doctors have a wealth of experience in chronic medicine, minor procedures, women’s health and refugee and asylum seeker health – the diversity of IPC’s client mix is an added benefit for registrars wishing to develop their areas of special interest.
“We feel honoured when registrars choose us for their training and work hard to support them. The time and effort we invest in them, is an investment in the health and wellbeing of our community,” Practice Manager Jessica Chung said.
“A key message to registrars is that they are never alone in the practice – no problem or difficult issue ever rests with one person, but with the practice as a whole,”
Practice Principal and primary GP Supervisor Dr Platon Vafiadis said.
“We pride ourselves on employing registrars who fit within the clinic’s ethos to educate, train and retain and take pleasure in seeing them develop into confident GPs. In the last three years, three of our registrars have remained at the clinic after fellowship,” Senior Manager
Clinical Services Sofi Milenkovski said.
Corangamite Clinic
Corangamite Clinic in Colac, 150 km south west of Melbourne, works closely with the hospital and the town’s other GP practices to care for its community of 12,000 residents.
Opportunities abound at the clinic, with its 18 GPs, to pursue areas of interest, including emergency care, dermatology, pain management, obstetrics and mental health.
GP Obstetrician and Supervisor Dr Anne McGuane – herself a former registrar at the clinic who remained after fellowship – assists new registrars to find their feet.
“We go gently on them and we are very welcoming,” Dr McGuane said.
Dr McGuane said the return to social activities this year, after two years of difficulty due to COVID-19, had been uplifting.
“It was challenging to welcome someone during COVID, when our previous arrangements were the pub for dinner, or a colleague’s home for a barbecue,” she said.
“One of the loveliest things was to recently have a staff barbecue at my house. It sounds benign but it was very exciting!
“It is great to have the ability to connect with the registrars and their families – my experience was always to have my daughter sitting in the tea room, maybe eating out of the biccie barrel, waiting for me – so it’s delightful to have the return of that broader sense of family and community,” Dr McGuane said.
Photo below: Dr Anne McGuane and registrar Dr Glen Rawlinson.
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202125
26 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
Technology focus
2021 has been a year of change for the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) team, very much accelerated by COVID-19.
Most importantly, the technology changes of recent years have made it possible for people to continue to work and communicate wherever they are and in a way that works best for them, despite the challenges of COVID.
Perhaps the most significant change for ICT has been that the edge of our technical boundary is no longer clearly defined. In many cases, the technology for those working from home, is a domestic router, a (somewhat OK) internet connection and a home (non-MCCC) computer.
Working with these challenges, ICT has continued to make substantial changes to our networks and services, specifically:
• Unified communications – now a reality in MCCC with Zoom Meetings and Zoom Phone for live communication, be it audio, video or chat, replacing the long-serving Skype for Business
• Cloud-based services – all our systems are cloudbased as at the end of 2021, except for off-site backups
• Cyber-security – continues to occupy front-of-mind, with ICT extending prevention strategies and recovery plans
• Refreshed MCCC website – the website was redeveloped and launched by the Communications team, in collaboration with ICT
• New offices – ICT has supported the office relocations in Bendigo, Wodonga and Melbourne, connecting to an NBN service.
These changes have been both economical and effective, giving rise to the magic duo of improved services and reduced costs.
What does 2022 hold for ICT?
With our changes in 2021 and earlier, ICT is well-positioned to support the transition to college-led training in 2023.
ICT continues to work with the Department of Health and both colleges to provide training records, within privacy and confidentiality safeguards.
The ICT team
Our team is small in number but large in capability and personality, in 2022:
• Paul Cooper will continue to work wonders with SWAN, Pivotal and all things technical
• Narelle Pangallo will return from parental leave, to work her magic, in April
• Dean Farley who joined ICT while Narelle was on leave, will stay until stumps in 2023, getting our technical assets recorded and managed to the end
• I, Peter Ellenby, add value when needed, which is not often, as the team is both knowledgeable and capable.
Looking forward to the transition to college led training in February 2023, everyone in the ICT team has very much enjoyed working at MCCC, contributing in a small way to training the doctors of the future.
Peter Ellenby
General Manager ICT
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202127
Embracing our people
Supporting our people to enable them to train the next generation of GPs for our community, continues to be the key focus of the People and Culture team.
In 2021, we acknowledge the staff achievements that enabled us to continue to provide a quality education program for our registrars. An especially challenging task during the ongoing pandemic and with the changes associated in moving towards college-led training.
In 2021 the key priorities have been:
• Building our expertise through delivery of the ‘Leading People and Culture’ virtual leadership programme
• Supporting our staff to remain safe and compliant with COVIDSafe obligations as the pandemic continued
• Offering flexible ways of working that allow for retention of staff and delivery of services as we get closer to college-led training
• Relocating our staff to new office locations in the metro west, north west and north east regions and further supporting a working model that finds a balance between offices and home
• Keeping staff updated as we gradually learn more about college-led training.
We are proud of our people who have supported and embraced these activities. As we move towards collegeled training, our focus will be on enabling a transition that keeps our staff informed on what this means for them and the continuity of services to our registrars, supervisors and practices.
Jacque Porter
People and Culture
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Organisational chart
Chief Executive Officer
Governance and Executive Support Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Operations Officer
Director of Medical Education and Training
Executive Assistant
Program Manager - PEP and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Manager Rural Program
VRGP Evaluation Project Manager
Manager People and Culture
Accreditation Portfolio Subject Matter Expert
Regional Heads of Education
Training Support Officer - PEP Program
Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer
Research Support Officer
People and Culture Coordinator
Supervisor Professional Development Subject Matter Expert
Medical Educators
Administration Officer
General Manager Information Communication and Technology
Communications Manager
Research Medical Educator Team Leader
Research Committee
Registrar Medical Educators
Cultural Educators/ Mentors
Senior Systems Software Developer
ICT Operations Officer
Communications Coordinator
Medical Education Communications Liaison Officer
Policy and Documents Officer (Contractor)
Team Manager Operations
Project Lead Workforce Selection & Business Improvement
PALS - Education Portfolio Team Leader
Registrar MAP - Education Portfolio Team Leader
Receptionist and Administration Officer
Education and Program Support Officers
Senior Training Support Officer
Registrar Education and Practice Support Coordinators
Training Support Officers
Education Program and Delivery - Education Lead
Rural Medical Educator Team Leader
Senior Management Accountant
Educational Technologist
PEP ME Team Leader
Funding Reconciliation Officer
Payroll Coordinator
Senior Registrar Liasion Officer
Registrar Liasion Officers
Accounts Payable Officers
Accounts Officer
Supervisor Liasion Officer
Information as at 31/12/2021.MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
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MCCC GP Training Limited Board of Directors
During 2021 the MCCC GP Training Limited Board of Directors comprised four directors elected by members who are nominated representatives of MCCC stakeholder organisations and five co-opted directors, including MCCC’s Senior Registrar Liaison Officer as registrar representative and a dedicated director with professional finance qualifications and expertise.
Dr Suzanne Harrison
(MBBS, DA, FACRRM, MSpMed GCHPE)
Sue is a GP in Echuca-Moama and SMO at Swan Hill and Echuca Regional Health. She is also a director of the Rural Doctors Association Victoria, ACRRM representative for the Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) Board and Hub Educator for the University of Melbourne. Sue’s previous roles include board member for ACRRM, RWAV and Echuca Regional Health, Supervisor Liaison Officer for Beyond Medical, committee member for the Victorian Rural Generalist Program (Loddon-Mallee) and Director of Intern Training at Echuca Regional Health. Sue is currently involved with the development of an education program for PGY1/2 doctors with the Victorian Rural Generalist Training Program. Sue is a member-elected director, the current Board Chair and a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.
Dr Alison Green
(BMed(Sci), MBBS, DRANZCOG, FRACGP, GAICD)
Alison is a GP obstetrician in Wodonga, north east Victoria and was previously a director with Bogong Regional Training Network. She holds director positions with Murray Primary Health Network and the RACGP Victorian Faculty. Alison is a member of the Consultative Council of Obstetric, Perinatal Mortality and Morbidity with Safer Care Victoria and member of the Maternity Services Committee at Albury Wodonga Health. She is a supervisor of registrars in her practice as well as GP obstetric registrars at Albury Wodonga Health. Alison is a member-elected director, Deputy Board Chair and Chair of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.
Mr Alok Mathur
(FCPA, GAICD, EMPA, PFIIA)
Alok is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) and Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) with more than 30 years’ public and private sector experience in the fields of internal and external auditing, finance, management accounting, risk management and corporate governance.
He is also an experienced non-executive director and chair/member of finance, audit and risk committees for not-for-profit organisations. Alok is a co-opted director of the MCCC Board, member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee and Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Professor Meredith Temple-Smith
(BSc, Dip App Child Psych, MPH, DHSc, GAICD)
Meredith is the Deputy Head and Director of Research Training in the Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School at the University of Melbourne. She is a former Director of Victorian Metropolitan Alliance. Meredith is a recent Co-Chair of the Australasian Sexual Health Alliance, President of the Australian Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology and serves on the Australasian Contact Tracing Guidelines Reference Committee. Meredith is a member-elected director and Chair of the Quality Assurance and Research Committee.
Dr K H Manisha Fernando
(MBBS, DRANZCOG, MPH, FRACGP, FARGP, Grad Dip Rural, GCCE, FACRRM, GAICD)
Manisha is a GP at Ranges Medical. She is a board director for Murray PHN and member of the Women in General Practice Committee for RACGP. Manisha is Deputy Public Health Commander - Pathology for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Outbreak Management Teams. Manisha is a past director of General Practice Registrars Australia and was formerly a member of the governance committee for Woodend Neighbourhood House. Manisha was a co-opted director and member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee whose term on the MCCC Board concluded on 26 November 2021.
Dr Phillip Hall
(MBBS, DipAnaes, DipObs, FACRRM)
Phil is a GP based in Warrnambool and former Director of Southern GP Training and Greater Green Triangle GP Education and Training. Phil is a member-elected director and member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.
30 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
MCCC GP Training Limited Board Sub-Committees
Dr Philip Hegarty
(MMBS, FRACGP)
Phil is a GP in Parkville and Medical Advisor with VACCHO. He is a former director of Victorian Metropolitan Alliance. Phil is a co-opted director of the board, a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee and board representative on the MCCC Aboriginal Health Advisory Committee.
Mr Sönke Tremper
(MPH, Grad AICD)
Sönke is the owner of Primary Projects Pty Ltd, a primary care consultancy. He is also the founder and Executive Director of Giz A Break, a registered health promotion charity that wraps mental and social wellbeing initiatives into an off-road touring format. He has worked in and with primary care for more than a decade, has led a large general practice and was formerly CEO of Goulburn Valley Medicare Local. Sönke is a committee member for Greater Shepparton. He is a co-opted director of the MCCC Board and member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Dr Charles Aitken
(MBBS)
Charles is a former MCCC registrar and was a Registrar Liaison Officer during this time. After gaining his FRACGP in 2020, Charles is now completing GP anaesthetics training at Western Health in Melbourne. Charles has previous hospital Medical Advisory Committee experience and is a committee member with the Australian Medical Association GP Trainee Advisory Committee. Charles is a Teaching Associate with Monash University and holds senior medical staff appointments in metropolitan and rural Victorian hospitals. Charles is a co-opted director and a member of the Quality Assurance and Research Committee.
Finance and Risk Management Committee (FARM)
The FARM Committee provides advice and recommendations to the MCCC GP Training Board of Directors and management team on matters of risk management, compliance and audit processes. During 2021 the director members of the FARM Committee were Alok Mathur (Committee Chair), Phillip Hall, Manisha Fernando and Sönke Tremper, with MCCC’s Chief Executive Officer, Greg McMeel and Chief Financial Officer, Noula Spanos being ex-officio members of the committee.
Quality Assurance and Research Committee (QARC)
The QARC assists the MCCC GP Training Board of Directors to ensure that the organisation’s quality assurance and improvement program meets the RACGP and ACRRM accreditation standards and that research initiatives align with MCCC’s strategic objectives. The committee acts as a planning forum and an oversight body for the discussion, promotion and implementation of developments in quality assurance and improvement, as well as research. The QARC has an oversight role in relation to the maintenance of MCCC’s status as an accredited Regional Training Organisation. The director members of the QARC are Meredith Temple-Smith (Committee Chair) and Charles Aitken. MCCC’s Chief Executive Officer, Greg McMeel; Director of Medical Education and Training, Angelina Salamone; Quality Improvement Coordinator, Sara Newton; and Research Medical Educator Team Leader, Duncan Howard also attend the QARC meetings. The QARC held its final meeting on 8 April 2021 following the achievement of accreditation with RACGP and ACRRM and advice from the Department of Health that research and quality improvement activities are no longer supported under the AGPT funding agreement for 2022, during transition to college-led training.
Nominations and Remuneration Committee (NARC)
The role of the NARC is to assist and advise the MCCC GP Training Board of Directors on matters relating to the performance and remuneration of the board and MCCC’s Chief Executive Officer, as well as the succession plan for the organisation and board. The NARC is responsible for seeking to ensure that the organisation observes coherent remuneration policies and practices to enable attraction and retention of executives, members and directors who create value for the organisation in support of MCCC’s objectives, goals and values. The director members of the NARC are Alison Green (Committee Chair), Sue Harrison, Philip Hegarty and Alok Mathur. Organisation management does not form part of the committee, however MCCC’s Chief Executive Officer, Greg McMeel, is an attendee at committee meetings. The NARC held its final meeting on 15 October 2021, with the committee’s function no longer required during transition to college-led training.
MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 202131
32 MCCC GP TRAINING Annual Report 2021
