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Specialist Training Program
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Private Infrastructure and Clinical Supervision program
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The Private Infrastructure and Clinical Supervision (PICS) allowance was introduced to the Specialist Training Program (STP) as part of the 15 March 2010 National Health and Hospitals Network initiative "Expand and Enhance the Specialist Training Program". The allowance has provided funding support for clinical supervision and training infrastructure from the beginning of the 2011 academic year for all private sector STP training.
The PICS allowance recognises the cost of delivering training in the private sector with funding designed to contribute to meeting these costs. Funds are provided to the training settings to assist in the provision of a high quality training environment for both trainees and supervisors.
The Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA) is engaged by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to administer this funding. In arrangements similar to those in 2011 and 2012, RACMA will be responsible for distributing 2013 funds to eligible applicants across the private health service sector. Eligibility for the PICS allowance will be determined at the time of the original STP application based on the eligibility requirements. All eligible applicants will be advised of their eligibility.
RACMA will be distributing funds to private settings that have specialist training posts whose eligibility is continuing on from 2011 and 2012 and to private settings that have new posts eligible in 2013.
Organisations that were provided with PICS funding in 2011 and 2012 will be contacted by RACMA to confirm their continuing eligibility in 2013. Organisations that did not receive PICS funding in 2011 or 2012 but have new training posts eligible in 2013 will be contacted by the DoHA in the first instance and RACMA will follow up with the distribution of approved funding.
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Aims of the program
The Private Infrastructure and Clinical Supervision (PICS) Program is a key component of the Australian Government's Specialist Training Program (STP). The aims of the Program are to:
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To expand and enhance training in the private health sector;
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To ensure that additional supervisor support will provide for improved training, opportunities and experiences available to medical specialist trainees;
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To allow registrar access to all clinical support information;
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To support the development of specialist training arrangements beyond traditional teaching hospitals in expanded private settings;
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To establish processes to enable greater efficiencies in administration;
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To support delivery of the STP program; and
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To increase the capacity within the health workforce to better train specialists.
The maximum amount of funds available for each private sector Full Time Equivalent (FTE)* training post is:
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$30,000 (GST exclusive) per annum, pro rata for clinical supervision
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$10,000 (GST exclusive) pro rata, once every three years for private infrastructure
FTE is not calculated in the same way as headcount. It is a measure of the amount of time an individual works. Consider an organisation where a full-time employee is required to work 40 hours a week. An individual working 40 hours has an FTE of 1.0. If an employee in that organisation works 20 hours a week, then they have an FTE of 0.5.
FTE with respect to the PICS funding eligibility is based on the amount of time the STP post is based in a private health setting, for example, an STP post may be 1.0 FTE however, 0.5 FTE of the role is in a public setting and 0.5 FTE of the role in a private setting. Only the FTE in the private setting is eligible for PICS funding.
Please note: The definition of "Private" relates to the facility and its ownership. A private setting is not a publicly owned facility treating private patients.
Examples of Funding
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Source: Department of Health and Ageing, Private Infrastructure and Clinical Supervision (PICS) Program
- Addendum 4 of the Specialist Training Program Guidelines Amended April 2011
Further Information
If you would like further information please see the PICS FAQ page on this website or contact one of the PICS team at RACMA.
Further details can also be obtained by visiting the DoHA website at www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/work-spec.
You can contact the PICS National Manager:
Valerie Ramsperger -
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or the following PICS Account Managers:
Alison Watson -
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Anna Medvedeva -
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Irit Ziv -
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All of the RACMA PICS team can be contacted by telephone on 03 9824 4699
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Last Updated on Thursday, 21 March 2013 09:58 |
