The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) has warned the proposed fast-track registration of overseas-trained doctors compromises the safety of patients living outside of urban centres and creates a two-tier system which risks eroding professional standards of care.
Ahead of the Health Ministers’ meeting on Friday, the RACS has urged a rethink of the plan.
“The College has long supported measures that address healthcare workforce shortages but this is a nuanced issue that requires a nuanced response,” says RACS President Associate Professor Kerin Fielding.
“The proposal, in its current form, lacks the mechanisms to make an impact where it’s needed most and puts patient safety and standards of care at risk. It’s important to get this right. Let’s not rush it.”
The RACS says there is limited oversight and insufficient support structures for overseas-trained doctors – Specialist International Medical Graduates, or SIMGs – in regional and rural settings.
“I’m a rural surgeon and I know how important it is to have a strong support system giving you confidence that you can provide safe and effective care. Patients are the potential losers if we cut corners here.”
“We’d also like to see measures put in place to retain SIMGs in these underserved areas, where healthcare workforce shortages are at their most acute,” Associate Professor Fielding says.
Another key issue for RACS is the potential for a two-tier workforce, with SIMGs having access to an expedited pathway not open to domestically trained specialists.
“We have real concerns about the potential this has to erode the rigorous professional standards we set for our medical specialists.”
RACS is calling for a more thoughtful and strategic approach to solving the workforce crisis, urging AHPRA to:
- pause the implementation of the expedited pathways for further consultation and review;
- introduce targeted initiatives to recruit and retain surgeons in regions with the greatest need, both geographically and by specialty;
- ensure transparency regarding qualification standards, supervision models, and assessment criteria.
The College says it remains committed to collaborating with AHPRA, the Medical Board of Australia, and other key stakeholders to develop a solution that effectively addresses workforce gaps while preserving the high standards of surgical care and training that Australians deserve.
