Rural SIG
TRAINING GP ANAESTHETISTS – A 10 YEAR REVIEW FROM THE NT
BT Spain, M Scerri
Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT
In Australia, outside metropolitan areas, a significant amount of the Anaesthesia caseload is undertaken by GP Anaesthetists. There is no specific qualification that non-Specialists may acquire in Australia, but after a suitable period of training and assessment, General Practitioners may be granted accreditation by the JCCA (Joint Consultative Committee on Anaesthesia.) This is a tripartite body, composed of RACGP, ANZCA and Aust. College of Rural and Remote Anaesthesia (ACCRM). The JCCA Accreditation is granted after a 12 month period of training and a satisfactory viva assessment by a Specialist and GP Anaesthetist, in addition to completion of a project or case review. Maintenance of accreditation is by triennial review.
At Royal Darwin Hospital in the Northern Territory, we have trained prospective GP Anaesthetists for many years. They have functioned for 6 months at Resident level and then for 6 months at Junior Registrar level if deemed suitable. This presentation examines a review of people trained in the 10 years from Jan 1996 to Dec 2005.
Over that period of time, there have been 72 medical officers who have spent some time employed in a position as Resident in Anaesthesia. Depending on their career or training needs, this may be as short as 3 months for those looking to acquire airway skills only, whereas those intending to practice Anaesthesia complete at least 6 months prior to commencing work as a junior registrar.
26 Medical Officers were recognised as GP Trainees at entry to work in the Anaesthesia Dept at RDH.
- 14 were formally part of the Advanced Rural Skills Post (ARSP) of Rural GP Training
- 10 continue to work as GP Anaesthetists in rural Australia (or PNG for one!)
- 2 loved Anaesthesia such that they joined the ANZCA Training program after starting in GP stream.
- 2 with circumstances such that they cannot work in Anaesthesia currently
- 2 lost to follow up at the time of writing.
- 6 were GPs who organised directly with the Department to come to Darwin for training, specifically to be GP Anaesthetists and did so successfully.
- 6 were GP Trainees who desired to have some Anaesthesia skills for resuscitation, but did not intend to develop skills for independent Anaesthesia practice.
The remaining doctors who have worked at RDH as Anaesthesia Residents came from a mix of vocational backgrounds, 25 were PreVocational ( usually RMO 3 level), 7 were taken on as beginning ANZCA trainees, 9 were Emergency Medicine trainees, 2 worked for AeroMedical Retrieval and 2 were Hospital Medical Officers seeking Anaesthesia skills.
The current case load and mix of the GP Anaesthetists will be reviewed, along with their self-directed learning needs.
GP Anaesthesia works very well for many small rural Australian communities, especially where the GPs have strong links with a referral hospital and ready access to Specialist advice. Ongoing maintenance of skills can be achieved with visits by Specialists to the rural hospitals, and by upskilling visits of one to two weeks by the GP Anaesthetist. Support of the GP Anaesthetists and open channels of communication ensure good outcomes for their patients.
Time of Presentation
Saturday 13 May 2006 - 1530-1700
