The Roster

The roster includes the Admitting Rosters for the Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) at Bowral and District Hospital, a doctor on weeknight Outside Call for the SHGPAHS, t he weekend and Public Holiday Clinic and Outside Call GPs. The roster is written in 6 month blocks from February – July and August – January and distributed 4 weeks before the commencement of a roster period.

Information is obtained from practices regarding the individual sessional load of regular weekday practice work for participating GPs, where 1 session in a weekday practice = 3 – 4 hours. This sessional information is then used in a formula to calculate the number of sessions on a pro rata basis that each practice and each participating GP must contribute to the roster. Practices may have arrangements with their GPs that vary the arrangements and commitments for each GP – provided that each practice fulfils all its own allocated after-hours sessions. The roster is written so that weekend and Public Holiday work is allocated to a practice, who will then advise the individual who will complete the session. The weekday outside call sessions are allocated to individual GPs.

The roster is written so that practices are allocated an even split of Saturdays and Sundays, Clinic & Outside Call. Accurate records are maintained by the After Hours Service Co-ordinator regarding the allocation of Public Holidays to ensure that the distribution of such days is equitable.

GPs have the ability to advise the After Hours Service Co-ordinator, in advance of roster preparation, periods of leave or days of inability and the roster will be written around these periods of absence. Once the roster is finalised all required swaps need to be organised directly by individual GPs who require them and the swap then advised via email to the After Hours Service Co-ordinator who will update the roster accordingly and notify the call service provider.