News The number of GPs choosing to practice outside major cities is steadily declining. The proposed changes are aimed at alleviating the current GP shortage in rural and remote areas across Australia, which in some instances has contributed to vastly differing health outcomes . According to The Australian , the proposed remuneration increase is linked to the successful creation of a new rural generalist specialty that already has the tacit support of the Federal Government. A joint application submitted by the RACGP and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is currently being assessed by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA). If successful, it would see formal recognition for the specialised skills of rural generalist doctors trained in obstetrics, anaesthetics, mental health and emergency medicine. Doctors recognised as rural generalists would then be able to access higher Medicare rebates for certain specialty services, such as mental health assessments, […]