TASKFORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

1(a): Employ an Executive Officer to co-ordinate and execute, and seek finance for, the recommendations of the SMAT committee.

1(b) (supplied by SMAT committee): That the Executive Officer further investigate models around Australia for a permanent Southwest Medical Attraction Taskforce to provide ongoing support for the recruitment and retention of medical practitioners.

2: Extensive targeted marketing material be assembled for each area of medical practice within each local government authority area, as well as the region.

3 : Encourage Southwest high school students to study Medicine.

4 : Encourage as many medical students as possible to have a positive rural medical experience in the South West.

5: Employment opportunities for RCS (Rural Clinical School) students (and their partners) be sought while they are resident in the Southwest communities.

6: Opportunities need to be provided for students to network with existing practitioners, and encouraged to form cultural, sporting and social links with the general community.

7: Bunbury Health Service be supported in becoming the fifth fully funded, and first wholly rurally based, Primary Allocation centre, for the Intern Programme in Western Australia.

8 : Provide a medical partners professional mentor programme.

9 : Provide doctors family support.

10 : To encourage more Southwest GP practices to be involved with the resident (PGY2 – post graduate year 2) programme.

11: To encourage and support practices to be involved in the Registrar training programme.

12: Accommodation Village providing a centralised hub of medical accommodation be sought. The location would need to be near the co-located health campus. A range of quality accommodation within an appropriately zoned precinct would be required.