Many GP practices across Australia are suffering from a workforce deficit, and all of them are at some stage of their operations struggling hard to attract and retain GPs. This shortage of doctors mostly applies to regional and rural areas, but can at times apply to metro areas as well.
The sharp contrast between the demand and supply in the healthcare labour market has gotten so serious that even the Australian Government tries to incentivise overseas doctors into coming to Australia through a number of programs and visa benefits.
Medical practices, too, resort to offering a number of incentives for doctors (relocation subsidies, accommodation subsidies, paid training program fees, etc.) and offering them a variety of flexible working arrangements (flexible rosters, short-term locum arrangements, open-ended contracts and similar).
As a result, this has created diverse expectations among the job candidates. These expectations are sometimes realistic, and sometimes not so much. To reconcile the expectations of both practices and job seekers and help make your hiring decisions easier, we've come up with a few tips:
1. Always crunch the numbers before hiring
Sit down with your accountant and see if it is feasible for your practice to hire locum or permanent doctors at a set rate and offer other incentives (such as a vehicle, accommodation and travel). You need to be mindful of the costs of recruitment, added on top of what you will pay for the doctors' wages and any additional costs.
You will normally be informed of the recruitment fees by your recruiters upfront and in writing, and you will be required to sign legally-binding agreements with both the doctor and the recruitment agency prior to hiring. Try to determine how long a commitment you will need from a GP to be able to recoup the money you invested into recruiting them.
2. Understand the complexity of the hiring process
The process of hiring is becoming more and more complicated in recent years. There are compliance procedures that need to be followed; doctors need not only be suitably qualified, experienced, have good communication skills and be personable – they also need to be proficient in different types of medical software, provide a number of certifications, be members of all relevant professional organisations, be enrolled onto relevant programs, have up-to-date medical indemnity policies, and their registration with the Medical Board has to show they are in good standing.
With overseas-trained doctors, the paperwork is often so extensive and the process so disjointed that it has to be handled by several different government agencies (Immigration, medical bodies, Medicare, training programs, etc.) as well as private consultant firms and recruitment agencies. Finding an experienced one-stop shop like Ozhealth, who can both advise you and handle all the paperwork, will save you a lot of headache.
3. Steps to finding the right match for your practice
Whether you source your own job candidates or use a recruitment agency, the selection process usually involves:
- Screening candidates by reviewing their CVs and references
- Doing a background check on AHPRA's website
- Performing phone interviews with shortlisted candidates
- Performing face-to-face interviews with shortlisted candidates
- Decision making and job offer
However, in order to find a perfect match for the job and the workplace, you have to see the picture from the job candidate's angle. Factors that normally influence doctors' decisions about job offers include geographic factors (family situation, urban vs rural preference, safety, amenities), professional factors (academic or research opportunities, practice ownership, group size) and economic factors (cost of living, current vs future income, prospect of long-term employment).
4. Decision-making
Before interviewing and making job offers, review what you're looking for in a new GP. Check that their special interests correspond to the demands of your patient demographics. Take a critical look at each CV, and hold interviews in a setting that is comfortable and free from interruptions. Make sure you address the most important aspects of the position: working hours, rate of pay, leave, notice period, income earning potential, and the type of medicine practised at your clinic.
5. Finalising the contract and closing the deal
Once you are satisfied that a doctor's and practice's goals align, you will want to make them a job offer. Contract negotiation usually takes time and there might be amendments made by either party – know where you are able to compromise. It is always preferable to seek legal counsel when drafting contracts. No verbal offer and verbal acceptance are legally binding until contracts are signed, and you should keep signed copies of the contract for your records.
Not all practices are created equal, and while taking some general advice and industry standards on board, you should always be mindful of your specific circumstances before you start the hiring process. Feel free to reach out to Ozhealth for assistance with any segment of the recruitment and onboarding process – we will be happy to help you.
