Snapshots

General Practitioner & Rural Generalist Classification Implementation – WA Health

As we previously reported, the WA Health System – Medical Practitioners – AMA Industrial Agreement 2024 (Agreement) introduced a new General Practitioner (GP) classification and a new Rural Generalist (RG) classification with their own specific salary scales, and definitions as follows:

• General Practitioner means a medical practitioner who holds the appropriate higher qualifications in general practice recognised by the AMC; or holds specialist registration in general practice with the Medical Board of Australia; or is registered on the Vocational Register and continues to hold general registration with the Medical Board of Australia; and is employed and practising in the specialty for which they are qualified. 
• Rural Generalist means a practitioner employed by the WA Country Health Service in a hospital and/or community setting; who holds the appropriate higher qualifications in general practice with an extended scope or Rural Generalist Medicine as recognised by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and/or the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine; who is employed and practises in emergency care and in a specialty field for which they have additional Advanced Skills Training/Additional Rural Skills Training as validated by the credentialing process.

Whilst the Agreement was registered and commenced operation on 28 November 2024 – which is when the new GP and RG classifications took effect – along with all other new or amended conditions including changes to leave, the first 4.75% salary increase was backdated to 3 September 2024. The introduction of the new GP classification incorporated the former Vocationally Registered General Practitioner (VRGP) classification which was effectively removed as of commencement of the Agreement.

To ensure existing VRGPs were not disadvantaged and were still provided the 3 September 2024 (4.75%) salary increase at that time, whilst HSPs undertook a review to determine the correct and most appropriate classification as of the commencement of the Agreement, an administrative instruction was approved (with a 12-month expiry date) which provided for the 4.75% salary increase from 3 September 2024 on the now defunct VRGP classification scales. This was to bridge the gap in time between the 3 September 2024 salary increase (when the VRGP classification was still in effect under the former 2022 Agreement) and the commencement of the new GP and RG classifications from 28 November 2024. 

The AMA (WA) initially raised concerns in January with System-Wide Industrial Relations (SWIR) – who represent WA Health in the Agreement negotiations and advise on system-wide industrial matters – following feedback that some HSPs were awaiting further instructions on the process, and that some HSPs incorrectly believed they had until 3 September 2025 to transition relevant VRGPs to the new GP classification. The AMA (WA) made it clear that the review and transition process should be occurring as expeditiously as possible, noting that practitioners who satisfy the definition for either the new GP or RG classification are entitled to be paid those salary rates (if higher) from the commencement of the Agreement on 28 November 2024.

In May, the AMA (WA) further escalated the matter, notifying SWIR of the intent to escalate the dispute formally to the WA Industrial Relations Commission (WAIRC), noting continued concerns on efficient and consistent implementation of the new classifications across the various HSPs. A number of meetings followed with both SWIR (who issued further instructions to metro HSPs) and WACHS Executive to ensure the process was progressing in an appropriate manner. 

The AMA (WA) has met regularly with WACHS Executive over the past months to ensure continued progression of the transition of eligible practitioners to either the new RG or GP classification as appropriate, and secured agreement that eligible practitioners would be back-paid to the commencement of the 2024 Agreement at 28 November 2024 (or their employment commencement if after this date) where they satisfied either the RG or GP classification at that time, and it provided for a higher salary rate than their prior classification (e.g. SMP). 

WACHS-employed practitioners should have recently been notified what classification (and increment level) WACHS has determined they are eligible for, with amended contracts and back-pay to follow. Any WACHS employed practitioners who have been advised they were not considered eligible for classification as either a GP or RG should have been provided with information on how to appeal, including provision of further evidence as appropriate.

In recent months, the AMA (WA) also followed up with individual metro HSPs to determine the progress of correct classification of GPs (including former VRGPs). At this point, we became aware that numerous HSPs believed they did not have to backdate the respective salary increases (if higher) to 28 November 2024 (commencement of the Agreement) where practitioners satisfied the definition at that time. 

The AMA (WA) disputed this directly with the HSPs, and also escalated this to SWIR, noting that an administrative instruction cannot undercut or provide for a less generous entitlement than a registered Agreement – noting for example the salary rate for a GP Year 4 is higher than the former VRGP Year 5. 

Following this, SWIR has issued further advice to this effect to metro HSPs who are going through an additional internal review and approvals process. The AMA (WA) will continue to follow up directly with the HSPs on this process to ensure practitioners are classified correctly, and back-paid as appropriate. We will keep our members updated on key developments.