College of GPs say they know of only 1 medical centre that has an agreement whereby the future location of mentee’s solo practice is demarcated

The Fiji College of General Practitioners has stated that they know of only one medical centre that has an agreement between the mentor and the mentee whereby on completion of the relationship, a specification to the future location of the mentee’s solo practice is demarcated.

They have highlighted this in a statement while responding to comments made by the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the Revised Budget address when he stated that there are cases where mentors have coerced doctors under their supervision to sign agreements not to establish their practices within 20 kilometres of their mentors’ clinic.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this is outrageous cartelling and must be stopped.

The College of General Practitioners has stated there is an approved list of mentors consisting of senior General Practitioners with post-graduate qualifications in Family Medicine or General Practice who serve in this role and a mentee can choose any mentor of their choice and the list can be expanded if deemed necessary by the Censor in Chief.

They say if mentees are concerned about this issue, they have several options to consider and they would mediate and take rectification measures.

The College of General Practitioners adds that a physician with 15 or 20 years of experience will still have to work under a mentor and at a significant financial sacrifice.

They say younger GPs can apply to become a mentor as and when the need arises however, there are professional criteria and standards to be met.

The College of General Practitioners say that with a workforce of 160 odd members and 20 mentors, one needs to address and maintain a suitable ratio.

They say professional standards need to be addressed.

The College of General Practitioners have also stated the number of mentors within the current list is adequate to meet the supply and demand chain.

They add that political interference in this matter is a challenge when new members striving beyond their professional capacity to expand their business entrepreneurship become politically inclined and try enforcing unwarranted professional changes.

The College of General Practitioners say the Fiji Medical And Dental Practitioners Act (2010) and General Practitioner Regulations (2012) cover all these areas more than adequately and if there are any professional concerns by executives in governance then the College executive should be a party to such negotiations.

The College of General Practitioners say they are happy to comply with the new regulations and changes to the Act as announced.

They add that this is not too different from the training and mentorship program they had in motion and all applications are vetted by the Censor in Chief and the board of censors which includes senior executives of the College.

The College of General Practitioners also say that the College executives remain proactive with the stated initiative and allocation of a total of $200,000 to assist the GP sector in setting up practices in rural areas.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had said that a physician with 15 or 20 years experience will still have to work under a mentor at a significant financial sacrifice. He says this has led to some truly bizarre situations and some appalling examples of the GP guild protecting its turf.

The Minister says a physician in the public sector who wishes to establish a private practice must find another private practitioner who is on the approved list of mentors which is a very small list established by the College.

Sayed-Khaiyum had also stated that a physician then must work under that mentor for two years before being licensed to set up a private practice and that can be extended for six months at the recommendation of the mentor.