Doctors in Secondary Schools

Doctors in Secondary Schools aims to provide equitable, accessible and professional primary health care services to young Victorians in secondary schools. The program complements existing student wellbeing programs aimed at improving health literacy and encouraging preventive health. It is funded by the Victorian Department of Education and Training and implemented by Victoria’s six Primary Health Networks, with North Western Melbourne PHN as lead. Its objectives are to:

• make primary health care more accessible to students
• provide assistance to young people to identify and address any health problems early
• reduce the pressure on working parents and community-based GPs.

The Victorian Government has confirmed that the Doctors in Secondary Schools program will continue in an ongoing capacity, including $43.4 million worth of funding through to 2024.

To learn more about the program, click here to watch a video.

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Who is involved?

As part of the program, 100 Victorian government secondary schools will have access to a GP trained in adolescent health, for up to one day per week. This service will be located onsite, as an in-reach service, providing medical advice and treatment to students enrolled in the participating school.

The program calls for a medical practice to nominate a general practitioner or eligible registrar to provide services in a ‘satellite clinic’ within the school for a period of four hours weekly. A practice nurse is also supported to spend a full day at the school.

To learn more about the program and the benefits of being involved, watch the new video below that features the Wedderburn College clinic and Dr Johanna Dennis and Practice Nurse Michelle Pascoe from Bendigo Community Health Services.

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Eligibility

Medical centres
Medical centres must be accredited against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for General Practice. Practices that are accredited or registered for accreditation and committed to working with the school on an ongoing basis are encouraged to apply.

Practices are required to provide bulk-billing services for students, have a medical software program and have – or are willing to have – a clinical audit tool installed to record and report data.

All clinicians will be required to undertake a Working with Children Check and mandatory training, in-line with program requirements.

General practitioners
The program requires GPs with:

• a medical degree and licence to practice in Australia
• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration with no restriction on scope of practice
• experience working in a multidisciplinary team.

Practice nurses
The program requires practice nurses with:

• AHPRA registration
• no restrictions on scope of practice in Australia.

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Get involved

To ensure participating schools can consistently offer this important service, a pool of interested general practices is being established.

If you are a GP, nurse or general practice interested in being part of the Doctors in Secondary Schools program, click here to complete the online expression of interest form.

People who submit an expression of interest form will be contacted before vacancies are advertised.

Current vacancies in the Murray PHN region:

• Numurkah Secondary College

To discuss your interest in the program or to ask questions about the EOI process, please contact Natalie Tremellen, Murray PHN General Practice Engagement Lead e: ntremellen@murrayphn.org.au

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Department of Education and Training resources

For more information and to access consent and confidentiality resources, please visit the Department of Education and Training website.