GP JOBS IN AUSTRALIA

What’s it like to work as a GP in Australia?

GP practice in Australia is very similar to the UK & Ireland in terms of clinical work. Practices are generally modern and have nursing support. Some have physiotherapy, pathology, ultrasound, CT and / or ECG too. Usually the practices have 6 to 10 doctors on site. Typically, they are open 12 hours a day, for 5 days per week and often weekends too. They can be situated as standalone premises or in shopping centres or next door to a pharmacy.

A lot of GP practices are owned by “corporates” – companies set up to run a number of practices either within a State or nationally. Generally well run and with a clear understanding of the needs of doctors coming from the UK & Ireland, they make a good place to start off a career in Australia. They’re not the only option though, as there are quite a few privately owned practices who are also looking for GPs.

The main difference between here and Australia is in the way you get paid. For the typical jobs that we have, you’ll get a “percentage of billings”. GP practices bill patients or Medicare (their version of the NHS) for each consultation. This money is then split between the practice and you.  The percentage you get is all important – called the percentage of billings. You’ll be an independent practitioner and so self-employed. You’ll get paid gross and then, most likely with the help of  a local accountant, you’ll need to sort out your tax (after allowing for expenses such as MDU, travel costs, some home office costs etc  and pension).

Australia itself is growing and a great place to be.  Craftsmen, mining engineers, teachers, doctors are all wanted in Australia to support growth in the economy. And what’s driving the economy is the abundance of raw materials – coal, iron ore, alumina, oil, gold. Much of it being exported to China and other “tiger” economies.

Many of the GP jobs we have are in these high growth areas – Perth & Western Australia and the coastal towns north of Sydney.  There are some jobs in the traditional destinations of Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney as well but these tend to be in the suburbs. There are also jobs available in more rural and remotes areas. Here you’ll need to be independent and able to cope with emergencies as well as handle the standard GP fare.

All of the main cities and their suburbs are pretty cosmopolitan, though less so than what you might be used to if you live in one of the UK’s bigger cities. While overwhelmingly “British” in background, there are a lot of Asian influences in Australia, reflecting the cultures brought in by far eastern and Indian immigrants over the past few decades.  Small towns and rural communities are more conservative and have long-standing links with the UK and Ireland

The Australian way of life is relaxed. Perhaps a bit rough around the edges but more than made up for with an easy going friendship and resilience to the difficulties life might throw at them.

Physically, weather and distance are the overwhelming differences between us and Australia. Warmer than the UK, it’s rare for any of the main cities in Australia to have snow in the winter. And in summer, it can get hot and humid, particularly north of Brisbane Queensland. Distance is perhaps the overriding difference though. Not only to get there – it is still 18 hours flying (and you have to stop) between the UK and say, Perth (longer to Sydney) – but also within Australia. It’s not surprising that the longest straight stretch of railway is in Australia. What is surprising is that it goes for 297 miles  without a bend or curve.  That’s about the same distance as London to Carlisle

See here for guide to different parts of Australia