GP practice owners will be able to challenge the classification of their practice location used to determine access to IMGs under a new appeal process.

An ‘exceptional circumstances review’ has been set up by the Federal Government for those practices not located in a so-called Distribution Priority Area (DPA) and who therefore cannot recruit IMGs or bonded doctors with Medicare provider numbers.

The RACGP has claimed some practices closed after losing their DPA status because they couldn’t recruit enough doctors to make their business viable. 

“I have heard loud and clear the concerns that the current approach is not capturing current or emerging local pressures, sudden and unexpected changes and unmet demand,” Minister for Regional Health Dr David Gillespie said in a statement announcing the new policy.