Rural GPs in high demand in SA as doctors call on peers to make country move

Rural GPs in South Australia are calling on their colleagues in the city to make the move to regional practices, as a way to benefit themselves and local communities. Key points: Rural doctors in South Australia are encouraging city-based GPs to take jobs in country areas The president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia says the traditional workflow of regional GPs is changing Country doctors are set to play a key community role in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine One of those country doctors is Dr Wissam Ghamrawi, who recently made the move to Mannum, in South Australia's Mid-Murray region, for his first stint at regional practice. But Rural Doctors Association of Australia President Dr John Hall said this was changing, and he encouraged groups of GPs to move to areas in need of medical professionals, to share the workload. "We do know that if we put doctors into a community where there isn't enough workforce, and they're overworked, then that's one of the reasons doctors don't stay," he said. Country GPs critical in vaccine rollout As the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine continues and more doses are made available to the general public, Dr Ghamwari believes the role of rural doctors being community leaders, as well as health professionals, will become more important.