Training support and pastoral care

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Striving for a smooth training journey

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As GP training transitions to college-led training in February 2023, NTGPE will continue to support current GP registrars' progress through the training program throughout 2022.

You will get to know these people well over the course of your training.

GP registrar support team
The GP registrar support team is your first point of contact for questions relating to your training on registrar@ntgpe.org or 8946 7079.
Pastoral care team

“Pastoral care is the glue that makes the training program and GP registrars stick together and go the distance to fellowship”.

Sue Irvin (sue.irvin@ntgpe.org) and Janelle Melbourne (janelle.melbourne@ntgpe.org) are the current pastoral care officers who provide important on-going support, referral and advice relating to personal, workplace and training issues to all GP registrars in the training program.

Training team

Each GP registrar is allocated a training team to assist with support and advice throughout training. The team is made up of an allocated ME (training advisor), a program manager and a pastoral care support officer.

If you unsure of the details of your training team, contact registrar@ntgpe.org

Executive

Christine Heatherington-Tait is the Director of Programs. The position oversees the operational and strategic management of GP registrars, GP supervisors, practice accreditation and pastoral care programs.

Christine is responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining internal controls and quality assurance systems to support NTGPE's vision of continuous quality improvement. Christine can be contacted on email christine.heatherington-tait@ntgpe.org

Cultural education team

The cultural education team is available to support GP registrars who need support to communicate with Aboriginal patients. They are skilled in helping to build trust and understanding between doctor and patient.

The team is made up of Director of Cultural Education Peter Thomsen, Cultural Educators Elisabeth Heenan, Patricia Rankine and Warren Smith, AMSANT/NTGPE Project Liaison Officer Dr Curtis Roman and Cultural Admin Support Officer Joanne Mick, and can be contacted on 8946 7348.

Registrar Liaison Officers (RLOs)

RLOs are current GP registrars with NTGPE and are elected by the GP registrars annually. They are employed by NTGPE on a part-time basis to provide an independent, professional colleague available to assist GP registrars with issues arising from their training. RLOs can help with support, advice and information and are able to advocate for individual GP registrars to NTGPE.

RLOs are a vital link in communication between the GP registrars and NTGPE. They deliver feedback on training, influence policies and operations and advocate for change. 

RLOs are a member of the advisory council of GPRA (General Practice Registrars Association), a non-profit association run by GP registrars to promote GP registrar issues on a national level. RLOs are supported by the registrar advisory committee (RAC) which meets three times a year to provide advice about all aspects of training.

If you are interested in finding out further information about the RAC please contact the RLO via rlo@ntgpe.org.