Preliminary Pages
Foreword
Australia has one
of the best health systems in the world, delivering high quality health care to
the community. This, along with our high standard of living, makes Australia an
attractive destination for international medical graduates (IMGs). In turn,
Australia has long been reliant on IMGs to address medical practitioner
workforce shortages, particularly in regional, rural and remote communities,
where they make up over 40% of the medical workforce. Local communities highly
value their IMGs and throughout the inquiry the Committee heard many examples
of the way in which rural and remote communities in particular have embraced
IMGs as one of their own. However, it is clear that whilst IMGs generally have
very strong community support, they do not always receive the same level of
support from the institutions and agencies that accredit and register them.
IMGs working in
Australia are required to meet a number of accreditation standards in order to
gain registration allowing them to practise medicine in this country.
Importantly, the Committee does not support any reduction in the high clinical
standards they are required to meet. Rather, in formulating the report’s 45
recommendations the fundamental aim has been to reduce red tape, duplication
and administrative hurdles faced by IMGs whilst ensuring that the Australian
standard continues to be rigorously applied. The number of recommendations in
the report reflects the complex nature of the accreditation and registration
processes, and the breadth of issues faced by IMGs across their personal and
professional lives as they seek to navigate these systems. These issues were
canvassed in the 216 submissions (including supplementary submissions) which
were received during the inquiry. Of the 216 submissions, 109 were from IMGs,
91 from organisations with involvement in accreditation, registration or
recruitment of IMGs and the remaining 16 were from others interested parties
including academics, co-workers, community members and patients. The Committee
also conducted an extensive program of public hearings visiting in every state
and territory in Australia, and hearing evidence directly from 145 witnesses
during 22 public hearings in 12 different cities.
In addition to the
range and complexity of issues canvassed, the Committee also had to contend
with issues of a sensitive nature which had evidently resulted in high levels
of angst and personal distress for some IMGs. Nearly one third of the IMGs who
made submissions requested anonymity, citing fears that their chances of
progressing through accreditation to registration would be compromised if it
became known that they had commented publicly. The Committee also receive
approaches from a number of IMGs, who while keen to air their concerns
informally, refused to make formal submission to the inquiry fearing negative
consequences.
Key themes emerged
as the inquiry progressed, with a significant proportion of witnesses
describing a system lacking in efficiency and accountability, and importantly,
one in which IMGs themselves often had little confidence. Many IMGs also felt
that they had been the subject of discrimination, and anti-competitive
practices and that this had in some cases adversely affected their success in
registering for medical practice in their chosen speciality. One particularly
illustrative example of the type of problems faced by IMGs was a specialist who
despite being highly regarded overseas was forced to sit a basic exam for his
field. There was a textbook listed as a study guide – he was the author!
The context of the
inquiry was the implementation in 2010 of the National Registration and
Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme). The National Scheme replaced
varying schemes operated by state and territory governments. The Medical Board
of Australia (MBA) was established as the national registration body for
medical practitioners, with its administrative functions provided by the
Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA). The fundamental aim
of the National Scheme was to provide a more efficient and uniform system of
accreditation and registration for health professionals, including IMGs.
Although the
premise for implementing the National Scheme is laudable, managing the
transition from state and territory based systems proved to be a significant
undertaking. As such it is not surprising that its introduction was accompanied
by a number of teething problems, particularly for AHPRA as administrative
processes were developed, implemented and refined. Without doubt the
introduction of new accreditation processes and national registration standards
for IMGs resulted in confusion and frustration for many as they tried to
navigate what is still a complex system in order to comply with new
requirements. As noted earlier, a perceived lack of transparency and clarity in
relation to aspects of the National Scheme left some IMGs feeling as if they
had been significantly disadvantaged, and in some cases even deliberately
discriminated against.
During the inquiry the
Committee heard from many IMGs, some of whom had already practised medicine in
Australia for a number of years under state and territory based schemes but
were unable to continue practising under the National Scheme. Experiences
ranged from those who had difficulties meeting new mandatory registration
standards, particularly standards pertaining to English language proficiency,
to those who felt that they were adversely affected by more stringent
requirements to progress from limited registration to full registration.
Furthermore, many
IMGs, medical recruitment agencies and employers of IMGs provided insights into
systemic inefficiencies and inconsistencies, highlighting poor communication
and coordination between key accreditation and registration authorities. Far
from streamlining administrative processes, under the National Scheme many IMGs
have been required to submit the same documents on multiple occasions but to
different accreditation and registration authorities, a situation which I and
other members of the Committee have found puzzling. In addition, many IMGs
necessarily find themselves grappling with other complex requirements
associated with immigration, employment and access to a Medicare provider
number. In the more extreme cases, a number of frustrated IMGs have
reconsidered their prospects in Australia and a few who have considered walking
away from their lifelong careers in medicine.
In seeking to
address these issues a significant number of the report’s recommendations have
been developed to increase the transparency of the National Scheme’s
accreditation and registration processes for IMGs, and to reduce the
administrative burden on IMGs by improving efficiency. To achieve these
outcomes IMGs must be able access to clear, concise and detailed information on
the relevant processes and have access to advice; responsible authorities need
to improve their communication and coordination.
In the context of
Australia’s aim to achieve self-sufficiency in medical practitioners by
increasing the number of domestically trained graduates, the Committee
considered the longer term utility of policy that requires IMGs to work for up
to 10 years in a district of workforce shortage in order to qualify for a
Medicare provider number – the so called 10 year moratorium. As Australia’s
reliance on IMGs decreases, it is understood that more will need to be done to
encourage Australian trained medical practitioners to work in communities which
have routinely experienced medical practitioner shortages in the past. In view
of anticipated changes in the composition of the medical practitioner workforce
the Committee concludes that a review of the 10 year moratorium would be
appropriate and timely.
Last, but by no
mean least, the Committee considered the importance of professional and
personal supports for IMGs and their families, noting that access to these
types of support is not only crucial to the initial recruitment of IMGs but
also to rates of retention. The Committee’s recommendations seek to enhance and
strengthen existing systems of support, including pre- and post-arrival
orientation, access to professional development opportunities and peer support
networks for IMGs, and access support networks for spouses and children. With
the 2010 establishment of Health Workforce Australia and its focus, among other
things, on facilitating the immigration, recruitment and retention of overseas
trained health professionals, I am confident that significant progress will be
made to enhance support systems for IMGs and their families.
As Chair of the
Committee, I would like to thank all of those who participated in the inquiry
process and who have assisted with the provision of information. The knowledge
and insight of those that have highlighted key issues, in many instances also
providing suggestions for workable solutions, has been impressive. Likewise,
those IMGs who have openly shared their difficult experiences with the hope of
seeing an improvement for others in the future should be commended. I also
thank the other members of the Committee for their participation, contribution
and commitment to the inquiry.
In concluding, I
emphasise that throughout the inquiry the Committee has been aware that
improvements in registration processes for IMGs must be achieved without
compromising the high standards that Australians expect from medical
practitioners. In that context however, it is my sincere hope that the report’s
recommendations will help to resolve the administrative difficulties faced by
many IMGs, and ensure that those wishing to practise medicine and call
Australia home in future may do so with certainty and clarity of what is
expected of them. To provide reassurance that this is the case, the Committee
intends to review progress made towards implementing its recommendations at a
future date.
Steve Georganas MP
Chair
List of recommendations
Recommendation 1
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
(AMC), in consultation with the Medical Board of Australia and international
medical graduates (IMGs), take steps to assist IMGs experiencing difficulties
and delays with primary source verification, including but not limited to:
n continuing to assist IMGs who have passed
all requirements of a pathway towards registration as a medical practitioner,
excepting primary source verification;
n liaising with the Educational Commission
for Foreign Medical Graduates to ascertain and address any barriers to
achieving timely primary source verification; and
n providing
IMGs with up-to-date information relevant to their application, including the
anticipated timeframe for response based on their application, or options on
how they might hasten the process, such as contacting the institution directly.
(para 4.21)
Recommendation 2
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
take action to increase the availability of the Australian Medical Council
Structured Clinical Examination (SCE) so that those making a first attempt at
the examination be accommodated within six months of their initial application.
(para 4.53)
Recommendation 3
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
publish detailed information on its website outlining the processes for
determining the allocation of places for the Structured Clinical Examination
(SCE). The information should explain prioritisation, the purpose and operation
of the standby list and provide up-to-date information on waiting times for
undertaking the SCE. (para 4.55)
Recommendation 4
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
provides a detailed level of constructive written feedback for candidates who
have undertaken the Australian Medical Council’s Structured Clinical
Examination. (para 4.61)
Recommendation 5
The Committee recommends that the Council of Australian
Governments include workplace-based assessment (WBA) pathway for international
medical graduates on its health workforce agenda in order to extend endorsement
from state and territory governments and increase the availability of host
sites nationally. (para 4.81)
Recommendation 6
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia
in conjunction with the Australian Medical Council, commission an independent
evaluation of the workplace-based assessment (WBA) model. The evaluation should
incorporate a cost benefit analysis of WBA, and encompass the views of all
stakeholders, including international medical graduates, clinical assessors and
host institution administrators. The outcomes of the evaluation should be made
public. (para 4.83)
Recommendation 7
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government
Department of Health and Ageing and Australian Medical Council, in consultation
with the Joint Standing Committee on Overseas Trained Specialists and the
specialist medical colleges:
n publish
agreed definitions of levels of comparability on their websites, for the
information of international medical graduates (IMGs) applying for specialist
registration;
n develop
and publish objective guidelines clarifying how overseas qualifications, skills
and experience are used to determine level of comparability;
n develop
and publish objective guidelines clarifying how overseas qualifications, skills
and experience are taken into account when determining the length of time an
IMG needs to spend under peer review; and
n develop
and maintain a public dataset detailing the country of origin of specialist
pathway IMGs’ professional qualifications and rates of success. (para 4.109)
Recommendation 8
The Committee recommends that specialist medical colleges
adopt the practise of using workplace-based assessment (WBA) during the period
of peer review to assess the clinical competence of specialist international
medical graduates (IMGs) in cases where applicants can demonstrate that they
have accumulated substantial prior specialist experience overseas. As part of
the WBA process the specialist medical colleges should make available the
criteria used to select WBA assessors.
Specialist medical college examinations should only be used as
an assessment tool where specialist IMGs are recent graduates, or where
deficiencies or concerns have been identified during WBA. (para 4.120)
Recommendation 9
The Committee recommends that all specialist medical colleges
consult with the Australian Medical Council to ensure each college undertakes a
consistent three-stage appeals process, incorporating the following:
n an
automatic right for an international medical graduate (IMG) to undertake the
next stage of appeal, following completion of each preceding appeal;
n the
option for the IMG to retain an advocate for the duration of any appeal process
to an Appeals Committee, including permission for that advocate to appear on
the IMG’s behalf at the appeal itself; and
n the
capacity to expand membership of the Appeals Committee to include an IMG who
holds full membership of the relevant specialist college, but has no
involvement with the decision under review. (para 4.134)
Recommendation 10
The Committee recommends that the specialist medical colleges
undertake the following steps to ensure international medical graduates (IMGs)
are aware of their right of appeal regarding their application for
specialisation:
n publish
information regarding their appeals process in a prominent place on their
website, including information regarding each stage of the appeals process,
timelines for lodging appeals and the composition of Appeals Committee
membership; and
n ensure
that IMGs are informed of their right to appeal when any decision is made
regarding their application, with information regarding their right to appeal a
particular decision provided in writing on the same document advising the IMG
of the decision made regarding their application. (para 4.136)
Recommendation 11
The Committee recommends that the Australian Health Ministers
Advisory Council, in conjunction with the Australian Government Department of
Health and Ageing and the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman, develop and institute an overarching,
independent appeals mechanism to review decisions relating to the assessment of
clinical competence to be constituted following an unsuccessful appeal by an
international medical graduate to the Appeals Committee of a specialist medical
college. (para 4.139)
Recommendation 12
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia, in
consultation with state and territory health departments, the Medical Board of
Australia, specialist medical colleges and other key stakeholders, investigate options
to ensure equitable and fair access to clinical supervision places for international
medical graduates. Consideration should include establishing designated
supervised placements for international medical graduates in teaching hospitals
or similar settings. (para 5.23)
Recommendation 13
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council,
the Medical Board of Australia and specialist medical colleges collaborate to
develop a process which will allow semi or recently retired medical
practitioners and specialist practitioners to maintain a category of
registration which will enable them to work in the role of a clinical
supervisor. (para 5.25)
Recommendation 14
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia
provide support under the Clinical Supervision Support Program to promote the
innovative use of new technologies to increase clinical supervision capacity,
particularly for medical practitioners who are employed in situations where
they have little or no access to direct supervision. (para 5.27)
Recommendation 15
The Committee recommends that prior to undertaking practise in
an area of need position or regional, rural, remote position with indirect or
limited access to clinical supervision, international medical graduates (IMGs)
be placed in a teaching hospital, base hospital or similar setting. Within this
setting IMGs could be provided appropriate supervision for a defined period to
further establish their clinical competency and assist with their orientation
to the Australian health care system. (para 5.31)
Recommendation 16
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia
ensure aspects of cross cultural awareness and communication issues are key
components in any guidelines, educational materials or training programs that
are developed to support enhanced competency of clinical supervisors. (para 5.40)
Recommendation 17
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of
Australia/Australian Health Practitioners Registration Agency (MBA/AHPRA)
provide more information on the Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview
(PESCI).
At a minimum this information should outline:
n the
criteria used to determine the need for an IMG to undertake a PESCI assessment;
and
n criteria
for accreditation of PESCI providers.
n details
of the PESCI assessment process including:
Þ the
composition of the interview panel, the criteria used for selecting panel
members and their roles and responsibilities;
Þ the
format of the interview and the aspects of skills, knowledge and experience
that will be assessed;
Þ criteria
for assessment and mechanisms for receiving feedback; and
Þ the
process for lodging and determining an appeal against the findings of a PESCI
assessment.
This information should be easily located on the MBA/AHPRA
website and provide links to relevant information on PESCIs that is available
on the websites of Australian Medical Council accredited PESCI providers. (para
5.59)
Recommendation 18
The Committee recommends that all Pre-Employment Structured
Clinical Interview (PESCI) assessments be video-recorded and a copy of the
video-recording be provided to the applicant for the purpose of providing
appropriate feedback on the assessment and as a record should an international
medical graduate wish to appeal the outcome of a PESCI. (para 5.61)
Recommendation 19
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia,
as part of its current review of the utility and portability of Pre-Employment
Structured Clinical Interview, include broader consideration of its utility as
an assessment tool, particularly its application to international medical
graduates who have already practised in Australia for a significant period of
time under Limited Registration. (para 5.65)
Recommendation 20
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia
provide an opportunity for interested parties, including international medical
graduates, to provide input into its current review of the utility and
portability of Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interviews.
To promote transparency, the Medical Board of Australia should
also provide regular updates on the review on its website, and at the
conclusion of the review publish its findings. (para 5.66)
Recommendation 21
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia
review whether the current English Language Skills Registration Standard is
appropriate for international medical graduates.
The review should include consideration of:
n whether
the International English Language Testing System and Occupational English Test
scores required to meet the English Language Skills Registration Standard is
appropriate; and
n the
basis for requiring a pass in all four components in a single sitting. (para 5.85)
Recommendation 22
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia
negotiate with providers of the International English Language Testing System
and Occupational English Test with a view to requiring that detailed,
qualitative written feedback on each component of the English Language test be
provided in writing to international medical graduates to enable identification
of areas of deficiency which may be rectified. (para 5.87)
Recommendation 23
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia
extend the period of validity for English language proficiency test results as
prescribed by the English Language Skills Registration Standard to a minimum
period of four years. (para 5.102)
Recommendation 24
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of
Australia/Australian Health Practitioners Registration Agency provide the
Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship with direct
access to information on its registration database as necessary to determine
granting of a visa for employment purposes. (para 5.113)
Recommendation 25
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government
Department of Health and Ageing produce and publish on its website a
comprehensive guide detailing how District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) status
is determined and how it operates to address issues of medical practitioner
workforce shortages. The guide should include detailed information on the following:
n the
methodology of DWS determination;
n frequency
of DWS status review; and
n criteria
for benchmarking of appropriate workforce levels. (para 5.140)
Recommendation 26
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government
Department of Health and Ageing consult with state and territory government
departments of health to agree on nationally consistent and transparent
approach to determining Area of Need (AoN) status based on agreed criteria.
Consideration should also be given to improving the alignment between the AoN
and Districts of Workforce Shortage. (para 5.145)
Recommendation 27
The Committee recommends that the Department of Health and
Ageing, in association with Health Workforce Australia, examine options for a
planned, scaled reduction in the length of the 10 year moratorium so that it is
consistent with the average duration of return of service obligations that
apply to Australian graduates of Bonded Medical Places. Workforce modelling
should be used to determine the implications for workforce preparation,
transition, training and distribution. The outcomes should be made publicly
available. (para 5.160)
Recommendation 28
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of
Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency, Australian
Medical Council and specialist medical colleges, publish data against
established benchmarks on their websites and in their annual reports, on the
average length of time taken for international medical graduates to progress
through key milestones of the accreditation and registration processes.
Information published on websites should be updated on a quarterly basis. (para
6.15)
Recommendation 29
The Committee recommends that
AHPRA’s annual report, with respect to the functions carried out by the MBA
must also include a number of other key performance indicators providing
further information to IMGs. In the Committee’s view, these indicators must
include (but should not be limited to):
n the
country of initial qualification for each IMG applying for Limited
Registration;
n the
number of complaints and appeals which are made, investigated and resolved by
IMGs to AHPRA, the AMC and specialist medical colleges; and
n the
number and percentage of IMGs undertaking each registration pathway (including
workplace-based assessment) and their respective pass and failure rates for:
Þ Australian
Medical Council Multiple Choice Question Examination;
Þ Australian
Medical Council Structured Clinical Examination;
Þ AHPRA’s
Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI);
Þ the
MBA’s English Language Skills Registration Standard;
Þ other
MBA Registration Standards including Criminal History Registration Standard;
and
Þ processes
of specialist medical colleges including college interviews, examinations and
peer review assessments. (para 6.18)
Recommendation 30
The Committee recommends that where an international medical
graduate considers that the processes prescribed under the National
Registration and Accreditation System have placed them at a significant
disadvantage compared to their circumstances under the processes of former
state and territory medical boards, that the Medical Board of Australia
investigate the circumstances, and if necessary rectify any registration
requirements to reduce disadvantage. The process and procedure for review
should be clearly outlined. Any review should be conducted in a timely and
transparent manner. (para 6.38)
Recommendation 31
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
and the Medical Board of Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency ensure that computer-based information management systems contain
up-to-date information regarding requirements and progress of individual
international medical graduate’s assessment, accreditation and registration
status to enable timely provision of advice. (para 6.46)
Recommendation 32
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
and the Medical Board of Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency implement appropriate induction and ongoing training for all employees
responsible for dealing with inquiries. This training should include among
other things, an understanding of the overall system of accreditation and
registration so that referrals to other organisations can be made where
necessary. (para 6.48)
Recommendation 33
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia,
in conjunction with the Australian Medical Council and specialist medical
colleges, develop a centralised repository of documentation supplied by
international medical graduates (IMGs) for the purposes of medical
accreditation and registration.
The central document repository should have the capacity to:
n be
accessed by relevant organisations to view certified copies of documentation provided
by IMGs;
n be
accessed by relevant organisations to fulfil any future documentary needs for
IMGs without the need for them to resubmit non time-limited documentation
multiple times;
n form
a permanent record of supporting documentation provided by IMGs; and
n comply
with the Australian Government’s Information Privacy Principles and Privacy
Act 1988 (Cth). (para 6.62)
Recommendation 34
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of
Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency, the Australian
Medical Council, and specialist medical colleges consult to develop consistent
requirements for supporting documentation wherever possible. These requirements
should be developed with a view to further reducing duplication by preventing
the need for international medical graduates (IMGs) to lodge the information
more than once and in different forms and formats.
This documentation should form part of an IMG’s permanent
record on a central document repository. (para 6.71)
Recommendation 35
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
and the Medical Board of Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Registration
Agency amend requirements so that Certificates of Good Standing provided by
past employers remain valid for a period of 12 months, noting the
following:
n where
there is a period of greater that three months since the last Certificate was
issued, applicants must certify that they have not been employed in medical
practice during that period; or
n where
applicants have been employed in medical practice since issuing of the last
Certificate, additional Certificate(s) of Good Standing must be provided.
Certificates of Good Standing should also be available on a
central document repository. (para 6.82)
Recommendation 36
The Committee recommends that specialist medical colleges
should consult with one another to establish a uniform approach to the fee
structure applied to international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking specialist
accreditation in Australia. This fee structure should be justified by the
provision of clear and succinct fee information published on the Australian
Medical Council and relevant college’s websites, itemising the costs involved
in each stage of the process. IMGs should be informed about possible penalties
which may be applied throughout the assessment process. (para 6.99)
Recommendation 37
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia/
Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency, the Australian Medical
Council and specialist medical colleges review the administrative fees and
penalties applied throughout the accreditation and assessment processes to
ensure that these fees can be fully justified in a cost recovery based system.
(para 6.100)
Recommendation 38
The Committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council
and the Medical Board of Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency increase awareness of administrative complaints handling and appeal
processes available to international medical graduates (IMGs) by:
n prominently
displaying on their websites information on complaints handling policies,
appeals processes and associated costs; and
n ensuring
when IMGs are advised of adverse outcomes of any review, that the advice
contains information on the next step in the appeal process. (para 6.120)
Recommendation 39
The Committee recommends that the Medical Board of Australia
extend the obligations it applies to employers, supervisors and international
medical graduates in its Guidelines – Supervised practice for limited registration
to include a commitment to adhere to transparent processes and appropriate
standards of professional behaviour that are in accordance with workplace
bullying and harassment policies. (para 6.141)
Recommendation 40
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia, in
consultation with key stakeholders, develop and implement a program of
orientation to be made available to all international medical graduates (IMGs)
and their families to assist them with adjusting to living and working in
Australia. In addition to detailed information on immigration, accreditation
and registration processes, the program should include:
n accommodation
options, education options for accompanying family members, health and
lifestyle information, access to social/welfare benefits and services, and
information about ongoing support programs for IMGs and their families;
n information
on Australia’s social, cultural, political and religious diversity; and
n an
introduction to the Australian healthcare system including accreditation and
registration processes for IMGs, state and territory health departments and
systems along with Medicare.
An integral part of the orientation program should be the
development of a comprehensive package of information which can be accessed by
IMGs and their families prior to their arrival in Australia. (para 7.31)
Recommendation 41
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia, in
consultation with key stakeholders, develop a nationally consistent and
streamlined system of education and training supports for international medical
graduates.
The consultation should include specific consideration of the
following:
n strategies
for facilitating access for IMGs working in regional, remote and rural
locations, including:
Þ the potential
for the innovative use of new technologies including tele/video-conferencing
and internet;
Þ the
adequacy of locum relief where IMGs need to be absent from their practice to
access education support; and
Þ the
adequacy of financial assistance for IMGs who need to travel to access
educational and training supports.
n strategies
for extending eligibility to educational and training support programs to
temporary resident IMGs seeking full registration in Australia and permanent
residency; and
n the
financial and resource implications associated with providing wider access to
educational and training supports. (para 7.71)
Recommendation 42
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia, in
consultation with key stakeholders, develop a cohesive and comprehensive system
of ongoing support options for IMGs and their families as an integral part of
its National Strategy for International Recruitment. Such a system should
include at a minimum, a particular emphasis on the educational needs of
children, along with support and employment prospects for spouses. (para 7.89)
Recommendation 43
The Committee recommends that Health Workforce Australia
(HWA), as part of its National Strategy for International Recruitment program,
examine options for establishing a one-stop shop for international medical
graduates (IMGs) seeking registration in Australia. Serious consideration
should be given to the feasibility of providing an individualised case
management service for IMGs.
In developing the most suitable model for such a service, HWA
should consider the proposed scope of this service and the range of assistance
provided, having regard to available resourcing. (para 7.109)
Recommendation 44
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government Department
of Health and Ageing expand the DoctorConnect website to include a register of
support services available to IMGs in the various agencies around Australia,
including information on:
n details
of location;
n eligibility;
n duration
and timing;
n cost;
and
n whether
the program is available electronically/remotely. (para 7.118)
Recommendation 45
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government
Department of Health and Ageing provide a telephone help line to answers
questions and provide clarification on information provided on the
DoctorConnect website. (para 7.120)