Medical Training Review Panel 19th Report

Transfer to the National Medical Training Advisory Network

In April 2012, Health Workforce Australia (HWA) released Health Workforce 2025: Doctors, nurses and midwives (HW2025) report as HW2025 Volumes 1 and 2. A further report, Volume 3 – Medical specialties, was released in November 2012.

As one of the policy responses to the findings of the HW2025 report, Health Ministers established the National Medical Training Advisory Network (NMTAN). The purpose of NMTAN was to improve the coordination of medical training by working with trainees, employers, professional bodies and government. One of the key functions of NMTAN was to produce a series of national medical training plans across the training pipeline, from university through to vocational training, to inform governments and the health and education sectors.

On 6 August 2014, Health Workforce Australia was closed, and its national program of health workforce activities was transferred to the Australian Government Department of Health. The NMTAN has been transitioned to the Department as part of the closure.

At the MTRP meeting on 24 October 2014, members identified an overlap between MTRP functions and that of the NMTAN and agreed that the MTRP could cease with the NMTAN taking over its function to produce an annual report on medical education and training.

At the NMTAN meeting on 17 February 2015, members agreed to assume the functions of the MTRP. These functions have been included in the NMTAN terms of reference. It was decided that a national report on medical education and training will continue to be produced every year and published on the Departmental website, allowing state and territory governments, universities, medical colleges and other stakeholders to have continued access to the data.

A NMTAN Data Subcommittee has been established to oversee the development of data to be included in an annual report on medical education and training, with support from the Australian Government Department of Health. The MTRP Data Subcommittee members were invited to participate on the NMTAN Data Subcommittee in order to retain their expertise.

The MTRP 19^th report has been compiled by the Australian Government Department of Health, with oversight by the NMTAN.

The Australian Government Department of Health has requested that the Office of Parliamentary Counsel draft amendments to repeal section 3GC of the Act to abolish the MTRP. Repealing section 3GC of the Act is consistent with the Government’s deregulation policy and is in line with the 2014 Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook Cabinet decision.