Name Mid North Division of Rural Medicine Division Number 508 Classification Rural Number of Member GPs 42 State South Australia Year Established 1993 Number of Member Practices 14 Postcodes Covered 538,1 5411, 5412, 5413, 5414, 5415, 5416, 5417, 5418, 5419, 5420, 5421, 5422, 5430, 5431, 5432, 5440, 5451, 5452, 5453, 5454, 5455, 5460, 5461, 5462, 5464, 5470, 5471, 5472, 5473, 5480, 5481, 5482, 5483, 5485, 5486, 5490, 5491, 5493 ,5495, 5501, 5510, 5521, 5522, 5523, 5540, 5550 Population 46,694 (2001 Census) Area Covered The Mid North Division of Rural Medicine is located in an area that extends from 50 kilometres north of Adelaide to the furthest point 300 kilometres from Adelaide. It covers approximately 24 000 square kilometres and contains regional centres at Port Pirie and Clare. There are many small towns and villages that receive outreach health services from regional and sub-regional centres, with some more remote centres accessing the Royal Flying Doctor Service. CEO Mr Kim Hosking Chair Dr James McLennan Physical Address: 196 Main North Road (opposite the Bentley's Hotel) CLARE SA 5453 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 842 CLARE SA 5453 Australia Email: mndrm@mndrm.org.au Phone: 08 8842 1077 Fax: 08 8842 2456 Website: http://www.mndgp.org.au

The Mid North Rural South Australian Division of General Practice has been formed to improve the delivery of primary health care to the local community by improving the networking of General Practitioners. It provides the infrastructure for General Practitioners to improve communication amongst themselves, the general community, the government and other health care providers. It facilitates continuing medical education and works towards improving the professional life of the Mid North General Practitioners by providing a focus for research, locum recruitment, undergraduate and postgraduate activities.

The Division supports and assists GPs by:

• Keeping them up-to-date with all relevant issues through a weekly newsletter
• Guiding them through the Accreditation process
• Facilitating professional development opportunities for practice staff
• Offering support and training in information management systems within medical practices
• Facilitating Continuing Medical Education activities
• Offering support and providing social interaction
• Providing opportunities for rural medical families through the Mid North Rural Medical Family Network
• Helping new GPs, locums and their families settle into the community
• Liaising with local, regional, State and national agencies on relevant issues
• Working with the State rural workforce agency in the recruitment and retention of general practitioners
• Providing accommodation for locums In partnership with the Lower and Mid North communities and health services, the Division:
• Has developed a Community Group Directory which is updated bi-annually
• Supports and facilitates consumer participation in health program development
• Assists and supports GP participation in regional policy and planning forums
• Supports GPs to case conference with other allied health professionals and consumers
• Participates in local and regional health forums with other providers and consumers

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• Computers in Country Practice Project activities from this project have been well received by GPs and practices.
• Practice Managers Network has improved networking between practices and Division staff and raised practice staffs awareness of Division activities.
• Accreditation 75% of all practices in the Division have registered for an accreditation survey with 40% achieving full accreditation.
• Immunisation the Divisions immunisation rate reaching 80%.
• Continuing Medical Education our program is highly regarded and well attended by the GPs.
• Making a great video to help with recruitment of GPs.
• Successfully gaining ongoing funding for the Port Pirie Asthma Clinic through tireless lobbying and demonstrating its value.
• Professional development opportunities for staff especially in IT and evaluation.
• Mid North Rural Medical Family Network provides support to GPs and their families through an ongoing program of activities.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

Mid North Rural SA Division believes the greatest challenge for small rural Divisions over the next few years is to continue their current level of service with ever-decreasing resources and ever-increasing expectations, particularly from State and Commonwealth. For this reason, the Division believes the challenge is to remain constant and GP and General Practice-focussed. The Division is measured alongside other, and often much bigger, rural counterparts and believes that it is not always easy keeping up the pace.

The Division feels that perhaps the greatest challenge for all Divisions is the ability to better demonstrate, through appropriate evaluation strategies, that Divisions are making a difference.