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The Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. There are multiple streams.
The WIP aims to improve access to quality medical services in rural and remote areas by encouraging doctors to work in these areas with financial incentives.
Rural Workforce Agencies support two WIP activities – the WIP Doctor Stream Flexible Payment System (FPS) and the new WIP Rural Advanced Skills (WIP-RAS)
WIP - Doctor Stream - Flexible Payment System
The WIP FPS is managed in South Australia by RDWA and nationally by the consortium of rural workforce agencies.
The WIP FPS is available for doctors whose patient activity is not captured automatically within the Central Payment System (CPS). This provides incentive payments for doctors who provide eligible services in eligible locations on, for example, a sessional basis.
For eligibility criteria, more information and guidelines, visit theWIP Doctor Streampage on the Department for Health and Aged Care website.
If you’d like to talk about whether your patient activity will be eligible activity before you apply, you can contact Richard Wilmot, Tuesday to Friday.
The WIP RAS is a new program launched by the Department of Health and Aged Care in January 2024, and provides a payment for activity related to the provision of emergency services and specialised skill services for eligible doctors in rural and remote areas.
Payments commenced from 1 January 2024 for activity from 1 January 2023.
For eligibility criteria, more information and guidelines, visit theWIP Rural Advanced Skills Streampage on the Department for Health and Aged Care website.
If you would like to talk to us before you apply, or discuss an application you have put through the portal, please contact Michelle Manuel, Monday to Thursday.
These are some of the common questions we’ve been asked about WIP Rural Advanced Skills Stream applications. If you still have questions, please contact Michelle Manuel on the details above.
How do I count a roster? Is a roster the same as a session?
A roster is not the same as a session.
For the purposes of the WIP-RAS, a ‘roster’ is defined as four hours or longer during a 24-hour period.
A roster can only be claimed for one activity type (i.e. a roster cannot be both primary care and mental health).
Within a single 24-hour period applicants are unable to claim:
‘half a roster’ for days when less than 4 hour are worked
more than one primary care roster
more than one emergency roster
more than one advanced skill roster
I cover the on-call after hours emergency roster for my local hospital. Should I include these rosters as part of my total ‘Emergency services’ rosters or include as ‘on-call after hours’ rosters?
Include the rosters as part of your ‘Emergency services’ rosters.
For the purposes of the WIP-RAS, ‘Emergency services’ rosters may include on-call services where doctors are available to attend as needed. The ‘on-call after hours’ rosters section is for doctors working in a rural or remote location which does not have a hospital, Medicare Urgent Care Clinic or multipurpose service within 50km.
I am providing emergency after hours services (including on-call services) in a rural or remote location which does not have a hospital or urgent care service. The nearest hospital, Medicare Urgent Care Clinic or multipurpose service is more than 50km away. Where should I include these rosters on my application form?
Include the rosters as part of your ‘on-call after hours’ rosters.
How do I determine the MM classification of my location?
Applicants must be working in an MM 3 – 7 location (Modified Monash Model 2019) to claim a WIP- Rural Advanced Skills payment.
The MM classification of a location can be checked using the Health Workforce Locator.
Start typing the full address of the location into the 'Address' field and select the correct address. Summary information is provided, including the Modified Monash Model (2019). This is MM4 in the example below.
