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A new partnership between Kingaroy Hospital, local general practice clinics, and the South Burnett Regional Council is helping reshape healthcare for the South Burnett community.
Through the Single Employer Model (SEM) trial – jointly funded by the Australian Government and Queensland Government – GP registrars and rural generalist registrars are now employed in salaried positions at Darling Downs Health hospitals while also working in local GP clinics.
This innovative approach allows doctors to serve both the hospital and primary care system in their community, improving access to primary healthcare, reducing emergency department wait times, improving patient satisfaction, and strengthening continuity of care.
Darling Downs Health Director Medical Services South Burnett, Dr Liam Weber, said the collaboration was crucial for the community to have a “single point of call” for their healthcare needs.
"The benefit of that longitudinal primary care means it’s better management for those complex or chronic conditions. It is also cheaper and more holistic over a person’s lifetime. We’re already seeing the increased GP services directly impacting our community"
Darling Downs Health Director Medical Services South Burnett, Dr Liam Weber
“We rolled out a similar model at Dalby Hospital last year, partnering with Myall Medical Practice, and it was really successful. We also have a pilot site in Warwick which has done well. This model at Kingaroy is just building on to that original success.”
The Single Employer Model at Kingaroy had already brought six new GP registrars to the town this year, with one more sharing their time between Kingaroy and Kilcoy.
But Dr Weber said it wasn’t just about getting the doctors into the region – he said he hoped the Single Employer Model would also help with regional and rural retention efforts.
“There are multiple health jurisdictions utilising similar funding frameworks as this. The anecdotal evidence so far suggests recruitment and retention benefits for staff coming into regional communities and new team members are actually buying into that community and staying for the long term,” he said.
Dr Weber said the SEM had also helped build stronger relationships between the public and private health providers in the community, which had improved communication between the hospital and GPs.
Dr Thanuka Wijegunaratne, a rural generalist registrar at Taabinga Family Practice, is employed through Darling Downs Health. He works part-time at the Kingaroy Hospital and part-time at Taabinga.
Dr Wijegunaratne said the collaborative model had been a win-win for the Kingaroy community and doctors.
“The Single Employer Model helps with my training, it allows me to understand the community needs and the health needs, and at the same time it helps the Kingaroy Hospital and the South Burnett community,” Dr Wijegunaratne said.
“I also get to see some patients in the hospital and if I want to follow up, I can follow up with them in the general practice clinic. That way the continuity of care is there, and the patient can really benefit from one clinician following them throughout their whole journey.”
Being employed through Darling Downs Health also allows Dr Wijegunaratne to participate in regular teaching and training sessions at both Taabinga Family Practice and the Kingaroy Hospital – something he said had been invaluable for his medical education.
“It’s been a very holistic care education that covers both acute care and primary care patient management, which I’ve really enjoyed so far,” he said.
Find out more about the Single Employer Model at Kingaroy Hospital.