More than 150 vacancies: Victorian country towns desperately trying to lure GPs

Rural regions are desperately trying to lure doctors to Victorian country towns, with large relocation sums, free houses and promises of no after-hours work.

As reported in the Herald Sun today, there are than 150 jobs for GPs and allied health professionals are being advertised statewide, with some areas spruiking salaries of up to $450,000 per year.

Ross asked Vice president of the Rural Doctors Association of Victoria, Dr Rob Phair, who is based in Bairnsdale, how he would sell the bush to a doctor considering a move.

“If I’m a doctor flirting with the idea of going to the bush, what’s the number one thing you’d use to sell it to me?” Ross said.

“The number one thing would be great variety of work,” Dr Phair said.

“Everything from all kinds of emergency work, to getting involved with public health services in the community, to being involved in the community in different ways and being really highly valued.”

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