Registrar Component Guidelines

Registrars on the rural or general pathway of the AGPT Program may be eligible for incentive payments while undertaking training. To confirm your eligibility, contact your local Regional Training Provider (RTP) or General Practice Education and Training (GPET).

Alternatively, you can contact the Department of Health and Ageing (the Department) at GPRIP@health.gov.au for more information on eligibility.

Eligible training placements are those located within categories RA2-5 of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA) system. Some training placements in RA1 are also eligible. (See ‘Training placements in RA1’.)

Check your RA status

Registrars on the rural pathway completing relevant training placements in RA1 locations (Advanced Rural Skills Training or Advanced Specialised Training) are eligible for incentives if the training is authorised by your Regional Training Provider (RTP) as being eligible.

Eligible training placements do not include the compulsory hospital year required by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners or core clinical training year required by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. All other training undertaken in hospitals in RA2 and above locations is eligible.

For more information regarding the eligibility of a placement, contact your RTP.

New Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) participants who are undertaking training post 1 July 2010 are not eligible for the Registrar component as they are captured under the GP Component.

However, RVTS participants who undertook eligible training placements and received RRIPS payments before 1 July 2010 may be eligible for RRIPS grandparenting arrangements if they are continuing to train with RVTS up until the end of the 2012 training year, or until they reach their 3 year RRIPS cap – whichever comes first.

Contact the Department of Health and Ageing at GPRIP@health.gov.au for more information about eligibility.

Incentive payments are scaled according to training location, training time (length of time Registrars have been training in rural and remote locations) and Full Time Equivalence (FTE) of training placements.

The table below sets out the maximum payment available according to the location of the training placement (RA category) and the length of time (period in years) Registrars have trained in rural or remote communities.

RA location	Practice time in rural and remote location
	0.5 year	1 year	2 years	3-4 years	5+ years
Other	-	$2,500	$4,500	$7,500	$12,000
RA2 (Inner Regional)	-	$2,500	$4,500	$7,500	$12,000
RA3 (Outer Regional)	$4,000	$6,000	$8,000	$13,000	$18,000
RA4 (Remote)	$5,500	$8,000	$13,000	$18,000	$27,000
RA5 (Very Remote)	$8,000	$13,000	$18,000	$27,000	$47,000

*Payments for any eligible RA1 training placements (see above under heading “Training placements in RA1) are made according to the category “Other”.

Part-time Registrars are paid pro rata.

The first payment is made on completion of 26 weeks of eligible training in RA3-5 locations, and on completion of 52 weeks of eligible training in RA2 locations. Thereafter, payments are made based on completion of 52 weeks of eligible training.

The only exception to this is upon completion of training and/or attaining Fellowship. In these cases Registrars may be eligible for a pro rata payment for their last period of training if it has not reached 52 weeks.

RA	Frequency of payments
RA2/Other	Payments made on completion of 52 calendar weeks of eligible training.
RA3	The first payment is made on completion of 26 calendar weeks of eligible training. The second payment is made on completion of an additional 26 calendar weeks of eligible training. Thereafter, payments are made on completion of 52 calendar weeks of eligible training.
RA4
RA5

Note: Grandparented Registrars are not subject to this payment schedule, and can receive payment following 26 week placements.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) makes payments to Registrars based on information provided by GPET. Registrars must provide confirmation by return email to GPET at GPRIPAdministrator@gpet.com.au that their training record/s have been recorded correctly before each payment is made. To facilitate this process, you must

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Call the GPRIP hotline at GPET on (02) 6263 6707.

Step 2 : Ensure your email address is correctly recorded with the relevant RTP.

Step 3: When contacted via email by GPET to confirm training details, reply within the required timeframe.

Step 4: Submit a GPRIP Bank Details form to DHS via the postal address or fax number provided on the form before finishing your first eligible training placement in order to receive your payment.

Get the GPRIP Bank Details form (PDF)

Send your completed form to DHS via the postal address or fax number provided on the form.

Please allow up to three months for the processing and release of your payment as details must go through several checks before payments can be made.

Registrars need to inform DHS of any changes to banking details within 14 days through the submission of a new GPRIP Bank Details form.

Registrars should inform their RTP of any changes in their contact details.

Registrars training with the Royal Flying Doctor Service are paid according to the RA category of the base location, regardless of where training placements are undertaken.

Payments for training in multiple RA categories are calculated pro rata based on time spent training in each location.

In order to meet the continuous service requirements, Registrars must ensure that no more than 52 calendar weeks, for leave or other reasons, lapse between eligible training placements.

Where the gap is greater than 52 weeks, the payment level reverts to the base level (year) for the relevant ASGC-RA category of the training placement.

GPET’s policy allows for 4 weeks of annual leave and 10 days sick leave per annum. Any additional leave beyond this may affect your eligibility for GPRIP payments and should be discussed with your RTP.

From 1 July 2010, grandparenting arrangements apply to Registrars who received payments or who qualified for payments under the previous RRIPS. This includes all rural pathway Registrars in the 2010 cohort.

Grandparented Registrars will continue to be subject to the 3 year cap that existed under RRIPS. On reaching the 3 year cap, any additional Registrar payments will be paid according to the GPRIP payment schedule. Please note when moving across from RRIPS to GPRIP Registrar component, Registrars start on an annual payment schedule (so the 26 week payment point for ASGC-RA 3-5 locations does not apply).

As grandparenting arrangements will remain in place until the end of the 2012 training year, all Registrars who have not reached the 3 year cap by this time will revert to annual payments under the GPRIP payment rates and schedule.

See heading below “Transition to GPRIP” about accrual of RRIPS time for GPRIP.

The opt out option provides Registrars with the flexibility to access the best incentive entitlement available. For example, a Registrar training in a location that is not eligible for payment under RRIPS, but is eligible under GPRIP (ie GPY2 term in Darwin) can choose to opt out from RRIPS in order to receive a GPRIP payment.

Once a Registrar has chosen to opt out of RRIPS they are no longer eligible for RRIPS payments and will be assessed under the GPRIP rules and payment rates from then on.

For more information regarding opting out:
Contact the Department of Health and Ageing at GPRIP@health.gov.au.

To formally opt out of RRIPS:
Contact GPET at GPRIPAdministrator@gpet.com.au

Registrars who stay in rural and remote locations (RA2-5) once they’ve completed the AGPT Program may be eligible for incentive payments under the GP Component.

On completion of training, DHS, as advised by GPET and the Department, will make a final pro rata payment under the Registrar Component. Following this, practitioners are given an ‘end date’ for their Registrar training. This information is transmitted to DHS and the Department, who will ascertain a new annual payment point based on when the practitioner began training and receiving incentives.

The length of time a Registrar trains in eligible locations under the Registrar Component is accrued and contributes to the payment rate (year) on transition to the GP Component of GPRIP.

Similarly, the length of time a Registrars trains in eligible locations under RRIPS rules is accrued and contributes to the payment rate (year) on transition to the Registrar Component of GPRIP.

Newly Fellowed medical practitioners continuing to work in an eligible location will receive a ‘transition payment’ providing they meet the continuous service requirements. Continuous service requirements for the ‘transition’ year are based on 4 active quarters out of 8 quarters – including both Registrar and GP activity. This payment is calculated by the Department on advice received from the DHS on the practitioners billing activity and payment and training history.

Upon receiving a transition payment under the GP Component, the medical practitioner will be set on the CPS, and the assessment of eligibility and activity will be conducted by DHS as part of the automated process.

Each transition payment is unique, and based upon the medical practitioner’s training and payment history. For more information about individual circumstances medical practitioners should contact the Department at GPRIP@health.gov.au.

Payments under GPRIP are not subject to Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding tax.

Recipients must, however, declare these payments for tax purposes, and are advised to seek advice from their financial adviser, accountant or the ATO regarding their own tax arrangements.

Registrars are not eligible for other Components of GPRIP while they are enrolled in the AGPT program.

• Contact your RTP for info on placement eligibility.
• Call DHS on 1800 010 550 about bank details and payment information.
• Call the AGPT Hotline on (02) 6263 6707 for info about Registrar training placements or for help with GPRIP.
• Email GPRIP@health.gov.au for any other info about the Registrar Component.