Role and Responsibilities of the STP Supervisor/Liaison Officer
As the Primary Supervisor of the candidate occupying the STP-funded training position, you are also considered to be the STP Liaison Officer. As such, you are the key contact for all matters relating to the STP post (although sometimes this role may be shared with administrative staff). It is expected that the STP Supervisor/Liaison Officer will:
Reporting
Submit timely and accurate reporting for each six-month rotation in accordance with the SFA.
Immediately notify RACMA of any vacancies or changes to the trainee’s rotations and supervision arrangements.
Immediately report any intended changes to the trainee’s FTE spent in a metro/rural location, or a public/private setting, as this may affect the funding payments.
Expenditure
Ensure that STP funding is expended as per the requirements of the Secondary Funding Agreement and the Department of Health, in line with the STP Operational Framework.
For audit purposes, retain all relevant evidence of claims and expenditure.
Communication
Ensure all communications sent by RACMA are noted and communicated to other key staff in the organisation, including Finance/Accounts staff.
Notify RACMA when there is a change of Liaison Officer due to extended leave or staff change.
Reporting requirements
Payments to STP funded settings are made in arrears, after we verify the Progress Reports and Claim Form submitted for the current reporting period.
Report Submission
Progress Reports and Claim Forms (based on templates provided) are emailed to STP Liaison Officers approximately 1 month before they are due to be submitted to RACMA.
The Liaison Officer must complete the STP Progress Reports and Claim Forms, then email them to stp@racma.edu.au by the due date.
Reporting Term
Reporting Period
Due Date
Term 1
1 February to 31 July
7 August
Term 2
1 August to 31 January
7 February
RACMA will review and verify information provided and may seek further clarification of information provided. Ineligible expenses may be identified and rejected at this point.
Funding Calculation
Calculations of STP payments are based on information contained in the Progress Reports and Claim Forms. Payments may be affected by:
changes to the FTE of the trainee during the reporting period (pro-rata adjustment is made)
changes to the rotational arrangements of the trainee where they spend time in locations outside rural or private settings (i.e. public metropolitan settings)
the extent to which RSL or PICS funding has been used during the reporting period.
Invoicing
STP funds will be paid to the health setting within 30 days of receipt of a correct tax invoice.
Planned Infrastructure Expenditure for PICS (Private settings only)
The aim of the PICS allowance is to assist the delivery of STP in the private setting via clinical supervision and/or infrastructure support.
The infrastructure allowance is attached to the training site, not the trainee or the supervisor, and is linked to the specific STP training position.
Private settings that wish to use PICS for infrastructure expenses are asked to provide details, at the start of each academic year, about how they intend to do this. This is done by submitting a PICS Planned Infrastructure Expenditure Form which can be downloaded from the CLAIM FORMS AND REPORTS page.
Contractual Obligations
RACMA administers STP funding by entering into a Secondary Funding Agreement (SFA) with training organisations for the current STP funding period. The SFA outlines all contractual obligations of RACMA and the funded training organisation.
Duration
The funding cycle depends on the length of the current Agreement between RACMA and the Department of Health.
When RACMA’s funding with the Department is extended, new SFAs or extensions (Deeds of Variation) will be issued as required.
Inclusions
The SFA includes:
information about the training position (also referred to as the STP Post)
information about the training locations the trainee will rotate to while in this STP funded position (rotational facilities)
reporting requirements and obligations
a schedule of payments and reporting dates
the STP reference number for each position funded under the Agreement.
The SFA must be read and understood by the key staff of the organisation involved in managing the STP post: in particular Supervisors/Liaison Officers and Finance staff.
Vacancies and recruitment
RACMA is required to ensure that STP funded posts are filled with minimum vacancy rates, which is why STP Liaison Officers must identify and report unfilled positions to RACMA immediately.
If an STP-funded post becomes vacant, the health setting will be given a reasonable amount of time to recruit. If recruitment attempts are unsuccessful, RACMA may offer funding to a health setting on RACMA’s Reserve List.
SIMG trainees
Specialist International Medical Graduate (SIMG) trainees may only occupy STP-funded settings if they are genuinely moving to Australia and intend to apply for permanent residency.
IRTP funded positions
Candidates occupying IRTP-funded positions are expected to spend a minimum of 2/3 of their RACMA training time in a rural (RA 2-5) location. The STP Supervisor/Liaison Officer must ensure that candidates occupying an IRTP-funded position are made aware of this requirement during the recruitment process, and that their training pathway is planned to accommodate this.
