POSITION VACANT – GENERAL PRACTITIONER
A wonderful lifestyle awaits you.
Seascapes, mountains, rivers, valleys, National Parks, clean fresh air, all only an hour from Australia’s most liveable city, Hobart. The Huon Valley is a wonderful community to live and work in as a GP and we’d love you to join us. We welcome you to come and experience what the role has to offer.
Huon Valley Council run medical service covers the southern Huon Valley, south of Huonville, from two sites. One is in Geeveston and the other on the shores of Esperance Bay at Dover. The medical services allow you the opportunity to use all the fantastic medical skills and experiences you have already gained as well as knowing that you will be part of a team with other experienced rural medical practitioners, Dr Angela Retchford, Dr Eve Merfield, Dr Patrick O’Sullivan, Dr Stephen Johanson and support staff.
At Geeveston we provide the full scope of team-based primary care, and you may also provide care at the close by Huon Regional Care Facility with aged care and low acuity inpatient beds.
At Dover we are part of a Multi-Purpose Health Centre providing comprehensive medical care where, in addition to the General Practice, there are 3 inpatient beds, 18 aged care beds and an emergency treatment room.
Flexible work arrangements are on offer. This allows you, and your family, ample time to enjoy the beauty of our region as well as participate in the various sporting, cultural and artistic activities that are right on your doorstep.
The practice is not a corporate practice, and all clinical decisions are yours alone. You will quickly become part of a health service community within an extended and welcoming rural community. Despite our relative proximity to Hobart, we are in a MMM5 area and, therefore, eligible for a wide range of rural incentive bonuses which add up to a significant value.
There is an opportunity for anyone interested in experiencing working in a rural location to do extended locum position to ensure that your move to the Huon Valley is the right one for you and your family.
There is also financial assistance for you and your family if you choose to relocate to the Huon Valley. Come and visit and we promise you won’t be disappointed, you will be welcomed and embraced by the local community members. There is also a 3 bedroom house available on a short term if needed, located in scenic Dover.
HUON VALLEY COUNCIL MEDICAL SERVICES
The Huon Valley Council took over the management of the Geeveston and Dover Medical Centres to ensure the continuation of primary care to the local community.
The practices have a strong focus on looking after the well-being of the community and would welcome enquiries from VR GPs with no restrictions who have a commitment to providing the full range of primary care. This is a great opportunity for a satisfying part-time or full-time role to use or develop your skills, working across two sites with a busy, friendly and supportive team.
Dover Medical Centre is part of a Multi-Purpose Centre providing comprehensive medical care where, in addition to the General Practice, there are 3 inpatient beds, 18 aged care beds and an emergency treatment room.
Geeveston Medical Centre also provides the full scope of primary care and can provide care at the close by Huon Regional Care Facility with aged care and low acuity Inpatient beds.
The Huon Valley is Australia’s southernmost municipal area. It is a vibrant, semi-rural community in close proximity to Hobart with four principal townships and a population of more than 17,000.
The Valley is dominated by waterways and forested hills and is well known for an excellent range of gourmet produce that has helped Tasmania earn its reputation as a food lover’s paradise. Food and music festivals aside, the waters of the Huon River and D’Entrecasteaux Channel offer world class fishing, sailing, diving and rowing experiences. It boasts National Parks and the World Heritage Area with a diverse range of outdoor activities, from bushwalking to climbing, kayaking to photography and birdwatching. There is a flourishing arts scene with music, visual arts, ceramics and sculpture. Local artists sell their works in the many local markets, including the famous Salamanca Markets.
No traffic jams and only one hour from Hobart – live where it suits best, from the country to the beach.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Huon Valley Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from General Practitioners seeking to work in the beautiful natural surrounds of the Huon Valley. The General Practitioner will have the opportunity to work across the Geeveston and Dover Medical Centres with flexible work arrangements.
This opportunity will expose you to a diverse range of presentations, whilst working with multidisciplinary teams across the two sites, including GP’s, Registrars, Practice Nurses, students, visiting allied health professionals, and practice staff. There are also close links with community teams such as community nursing , community palliative care and the local pharmacy. The position allows you to work with four other GP’s with the capacity to use your wide array of skills and, of course, to develop new ones if you wish. The practices have well equipped treatment rooms where a range of procedures can be carried out and Emergencies are managed.
There are regular practice meetings as well as education sessions such as EMET (Emergency Medicine Education and Training) with scenario-based training carried out on site by Emergency Physicians from the tertiary hospital. This provides a great level of support and education appropriate to the Rural Setting.
The Practice is in MMM5 area, and eligible for a range of Rural and other incentive payments.
Accommodation is also available for a period of time subject to negotiation and individual circumstances.
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
The Huon Valley Council offers engagement on an employment basis – earning a per-session payment paid fortnightly in arrears, generous percentage of gross takings, plus superannuation, paid study, holiday and sick leave. Additional income is available through supporting the DHHS facility at Dover and the various incentive payments.
Subsidised accommodation and use of a car may be available for a short term subject to negotiation and individual situation.
Direct payment of Medicare Service Incentive Payments (SIP), and payments applicable to the Australian Government General Practice Rural Incentives Program.
A comprehensive orientation program will be arranged on arrival according to the doctor’s needs.
For more information, please contact:
Margaret McPherson
Manager Medical Services
hvc@huonvalley.tas.gov.au
Phone: (03) 6264 0300
We look forward to hearing from you.
Employment Information
The Huon Valley Council offers engagement on an employment basis – earning a per-session payment paid fortnightly in arrears, generous percentage of gross takings, plus superannuation, paid study, holiday and sick leave. Additional income is available through supporting the DHHS facility at Dover.
Subsidised accommodation and use of a car may be available for a short term subject to negotiation and individual situation.
Direct payment of Medicare Service Incentive Payments (SIP), and payments applicable to the Australian Government General Practice Rural Incentives Program.
A comprehensive orientation program will be arranged on arrival according to the doctor’s needs.
About the Medical Centres
Teaching and learning practices
Working in a rural practice can be very rewarding and satisfying. Our General Practitioners understand the importance of training and supporting medical students. They provide the students with a real feel for working in a rural general practice. Both practices host 3rd, 5th and final year medical students from the University of Tasmania and John Flynn placements.
The practices are also accredited for Registrar placements, working closely with General Practice Training Tasmania for the placement of Registrars from the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
The professional benefits of working in a rural practice include access to professional development and support networks that will help foster skills and develop leadership. Emergency medicine education and training sessions are conducted on a regular basis by staff from the Royal Hobart Hospital as well as regular combined practice clinical meetings held throughout the year.
Both practices are AGPAL accredited and provide a wide range of primary care services, including minor surgery and occupational medicine. The doctors do home visits and can admit to rural health beds at Huon Regional Care in Dover and Franklin to allow for the care of acute medical conditions and palliation. Ambulance services are located in Huonville and the nearest A&E is in Hobart.
After hours needs are triaged by Healthdirect, which minimises after hours call-outs. Doctors are on call in a 24/7 rostered capacity currently at 1:4.
Geeveston Medical Centre
The Geeveston Medical Centre is located at 19 Arve Road, Geeveston, 50 minutes from Hobart. Geeveston is the gateway to the Hartz Mountains National Park and has historically been known as a timber town, with attractions such as the Tahune Airwalk, Geeveston Town Hall, and Visitor Information Centre. Geeveston has a population of more than 1300 people, a median age of 46 and a total of 355 families.
The local area includes a private and a public primary school, Early Learning Centre, and Child and Family Centre as well as a bank, pharmacy, library, hardware store, supermarket and cafés.
The Medical Centre is open from Monday to Friday located in a restored heritage cottage with three consulting rooms, one allied health room and a separate treatment room providing a wide range of diagnostic and procedural equipment.
Dover Medical Centre
Dover Medical Centre is co-located with aged care provider Huon Regional Care with three consulting rooms and a separate treatment room providing a range of diagnostic and procedural equipment. An expansion of the centre is underway adding an additional two consulting rooms to be used for General Practice and Allied Health treatment.
Dover is one of Tasmania’s most southern towns, sitting at the head of Esperance Bay, one of the many bays off the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, and overlooking the small islands of Faith, Hope and Charity. It has attractive beaches and unspoilt scenery, while quaint cottages and English trees give the town an old-world charm. Dover is the entrance to the famous Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and other popular tourist attractions such as Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs, and Cockle Creek.
Dover has a population of more than 850 people with a median age of 54 and a total of 229 families. The local area includes a public school providing education from Kinder through to Year 12, a Child Care Centre as well as a bank, pharmacy, library, hardware store, supermarket and cafés. There are vibrant clubs in the area including a football, bowls and sailing club as well as a book club, writers group, museum and more.
About the Huon Valley
The Huon Valley is a vibrant, semi-rural community located 30 minutes south of Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart. It is Australia’s southernmost municipal area with a population of more than 17,000 people.
The Valley’s 5,497 square kilometres are characterised by meandering waterways and forested hills. The region’s fertile landscape produces an array of quality foods that has helped Tasmania earn its reputation as a food lover’s paradise.
There are five main townships across the Valley including Dover, Geeveston, Franklin, Huonville and Cygnet, with many other smaller hamlets and an abundance of beautiful beaches which attract permanent and semi-permanent residents.
Huon Valley residents share a strong and welcoming community spirit, with plenty of events, activities and groups happening locally to get involved in. The community cares deeply about the heritage of the region and are devoted to keeping traditions alive, making the Valley a culturally and historically rice place to live.
Beautiful bushwalking, climbing, rafting and cycling are all easily accessed within the Huon Valley and its surrounds.
The Valley prides itself on its pristine environment, rich living history, strong maritime connections, temperate wilderness, unique accessible wildlife, world-renowned food and wine, seasonal climate variations and of course, its people. The gourmet food festival, Taste of the Huon, held each year in March, is a weekend-long celebration of the best produce the region has to offer.
To find out more about the Huon Valley visit:
