Tasmania to wipe HECS debts and cough up $100,000 for GPs in push for rural workers

Hayley Taylor

7NEWS

2 Min Read02 Jul, 2024

GPs willing to work in rural and remote Tasmania are being offered $100,000 by the state government. Credit: AAP

General practitioners willing to move to remote and rural Tasmania for work will be offered a $100,000 settlement allowance over five years as part of a $4 million state government rural health initiative.

It will also wipe HECS debts up to $100,000 — the average student debt racked up by GPs — for doctors willing to work in outer urban areas.

Doctors working in remote and rural areas (MMM3-7 areas) nationwide are already eligible for a “100 per cent elimination” of their HECS debts under the Commonwealth HELP Scheme.

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The Tasmanian Government initiative works separate to this and will pay off HECS debts up to $100,000 for GPs not assisted by the existing scheme, and can be applied for workers in less remote regions.

It’s available to GPs who have finished their training and decide to settle in outer urban (MMM2) areas.

As for the $100,000 settlement allowance, GPs will only see 10 per cent of that sum — $10,000 — in the first year.

Another 20 per cent of the allowance, or $20,000, will be paid in the second year, another 30 per cent, or $30,000, will be paid in the third year, and 40 per cent, $40,000, will be paid in the fourth year.

The payments are made at the completion of each year.

It is hoped the push will fill 40 positions in the state.

The final guidelines, and how to apply, will be released by August 1, 2024.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Guy Barnett said: “I am incredibly proud to progress this initiative, that will incentivise more GPs to practice in rural and regional areas of Tasmania, and keep them here for five years.

“We are making record investments across all major hospitals, employing more frontline healthcare workers and making steady progress to ending ramping — but we know that attracting more GPs here is critical to supporting this work, especially in our regions.“I am confident that this significant incentive will begin to quickly attract GPs to our rural and regional communities, with Tasmanians to benefit as a result.”