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Rural Locum Assistance Program

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Deakin, ACT
Rural Locum Assistance Program

We are dedicated to alleviating the pressures of workforce shortages in rural and remote Australia

The Rural Locum Assistance Program (Rural LAP) supports rural and remote health services by sourcing locums to cover personal or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) leave. Anaesthetists (specialists and GPs), obstetricians (specialists and GPs), nurses, midwives and allied health professionals located in Modified Monash Model (MMM) categories 2-7 are eligible to apply. Rural LAP covers leave for up to 14 working days for MMM 2-7 categories and up to 28 days for MMM 5-7 categories (noting that priority will be given to placements with a CPD component or located in categories 6 and 7). The program also offers financial assistance to urban GPs who require emergency medicine training. To be eligible for support, you must be willing to undertake a general practice locum placement in rural and remote Australia. Rural LAP combines the Rural Obstetric and Anaesthetic Locum Scheme (ROALS), the Nursing and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme (NAHRLS) and the Rural Locum Education Assistance Program (Rural LEAP). The aims of the amalgamated program include:

- enhancing the ability of healthcare professionals in rural Australia to take leave and undertake CPD activities
- improving the retention of these health professionals in rural locations
- upskilling metropolitan-based GP professional competencies in Emergency Medicine.

04/01/2026

The Rural LAP team is officially back on deck and ready to support rural and remote health services across Australia.

If your service needs locum coverage, now is the perfect time to reach out.

Our team is here to help you start the year smoothly, with experienced locums available across a wide range of health professions.

Submit your request or get in touch, we’re ready when you are.

Learn more on our website - www.rurallap.com.au

31/12/2025

Happy New Year from Rural LAP!

As we welcome 2026, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our incredible locums, health services and the rural and remote communities we serve across Australia.

Your dedication, resilience and compassion throughout the past year have made a profound difference and we’re honoured to continue this important work alongside you.

May the year ahead bring you health, connection, purpose and opportunity, wherever your journey takes you.

Happy New Year!

30/12/2025

For Optometrist Karen Gunsar, working with Rural LAP has been a reminder of the real impact locums can make in communities that truly need them.

Karen shared that one of the most rewarding parts of her placements has been reconnecting with long-forgotten skills, learning new ones and meeting Australians who live very differently from those in major cities.

💬 “Rural LAP provides a real opportunity to meet and help that large cohort of Australians who live quite differently from those on the Eastern seaboard cities. It allows variation in one’s profession and gives real purpose.”

Karen captured her journey with a snapshot of her arrival at Moree Airport — followed by a 1.5-hour drive to her placement — a true reflection of the adventure and diversity rural practice brings.

Thank you, Karen, for your dedication and for supporting communities that rely on visiting practitioners more than ever.

24/12/2025

🎄 Warm wishes from the Rural LAP team!

To everyone in our Rural LAP community, our locums, health services, partners and the many rural and remote communities we support, we wish you a safe, restful and joyful festive season.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or simply enjoy the chance to pause and connect with loved ones at this time of year, we are grateful for the incredible contribution you make to healthcare across Australia.

Thank you for your dedication, compassion and commitment throughout 2025. We look forward to continuing our work together in the new year.

Wishing you peace, kindness and connection today and always.

22/12/2025

Are you an aged care provider in a rural or remote community? Rural LAP can help you build a strong, stable workforce with generous relocation incentives and retention bonuses for new permanent team members.

Relocation incentives:
>> Eligible aged care workers who move from a metropolitan or regional area (MM 1–3) to a rural or remote community (MM 4–7) can receive up to $16,500 to support relocation costs. (Available to registered and enrolled nurses, facility managers, care coordinators, support workers, and personal care workers).

Retention bonuses:
>> To support workforce stability, eligible workers can receive annual retention bonuses of up to $3,700 (MM 4) or up to $6,000 (MM 5–7) for two years after relocation.

Please note: Applications must be approved before relocation to receive incentive payments.
Ready to grow your aged care team.

Call us on 1800 861 819 or email agedcare@rurallap.com.au to find out more or apply.

18/12/2025

A quick reminder that the Rural LAP office will be closed from midday today (Friday, 19 December 2025), until Monday, 5 January 2026. During this time, Rural LAP will have a skeleton on-call team to ensure our locums are still supported while on placement.

During this time, our website will be open for support requests and locum EOIs, but we will not be reviewing these until we return on the 5th of January. If you have URGENT questions during this period, please reach out to your program officer.

16/12/2025

On Thursday, 11 December, the Rural LAP team came together alongside our NT Remote Locum Program colleagues for a full-day workshop and our end-of-year Christmas celebration.

It was a day filled with collaboration, connection, planning and plenty of festive cheer. We’re incredibly proud of everything the team has achieved this year and energised by the ideas and goals shaping the year ahead.

Here’s to continued impact, strong partnerships and supporting rural and remote communities across Australia in 2026.

09/12/2025

“Rural LAP provided a highly professional locum who stepped in seamlessly, kept our service running smoothly and gave our team confidence from day one.” — Michelle Dexter, Scamander Pharmacy

When Scamander Pharmacy needed a reliable, experienced locum after their long-standing pharmacist retired, they turned to Rural LAP after a recommendation from a previous locum.

Rural LAP connected the pharmacy with an excellent pharmacist who:
> Integrated effortlessly into their workflow
> Managed clinical and dispensing duties with confidence
> Maintained safe, efficient service delivery
> Communicated clearly before and throughout the placement

Even staff who were initially unsure about bringing in someone new felt reassured immediately, thanks to the locum’s calm, collaborative approach and strong understanding of rural pharmacy practice.

💬 "We would recommend Rural LAP for locum support. Rural LAP provides well‑qualified, professional locums who adapt to local workflows, communicate clearly, and enable continuity of care, allowing the owner/pharmacist to take a well‑deserved break without compromising patient safety or service continuity."

Our locums are professional, adaptable, and committed to ensuring continuity of care, so owners and staff can take a well-earned break without compromising patient safety or service quality.

If you need locum support for your pharmacy or health service reach out to Rural LAP - https://bit.ly/3I6yJux

08/12/2025

Are you a specialist or GP anaesthetist looking for meaningful work and the freedom to live life on your terms? Rural LAP is looking for locum anaesthetists to work around Australia.

With flexible placements of 14 to 28 days (depending on your placement location), you can choose opportunities that fit seamlessly around your lifestyle. Whether you're craving a change of scenery or seeking purposeful work in communities that truly value your expertise, Rural LAP makes it possible.

When you join us, you’ll receive:
> Competitive hourly wage + superannuation
> $100 per day travel allowance
> All your travel and accommodation are covered

This is your chance to support rural and remote healthcare while experiencing some of the most unique and rewarding locations across Australia.

Ready to make your next move?
Submit an Expression of Interest today: https://bit.ly/48QBQ2b

04/12/2025

Pharmacists, your expertise is needed in rural and remote Australia!

Are you looking for a career that’s both rewarding and full of adventure? As a locum pharmacist with Rural LAP, you can combine your professional skills with the chance to explore some of Australia’s most unique communities.

Here’s what you can look forward to:
> Make a genuine impact by supporting communities where access to healthcare can be limited
> Experience diverse practice settings and expand your clinical knowledge
> Enjoy the freedom and flexibility to choose when you work
> Discover breathtaking locations, new friendships and a better work-life balance

Locum work isn’t just about filling a role, it’s about becoming part of a community, sharing your expertise and helping ensure rural Australians have access to quality healthcare.

If you’re ready to take your pharmacy career beyond the dispensary and into the heart of regional Australia, we’d love to hear from you!

Learn more and register your interest today - https://bit.ly/3T5GkN8

02/12/2025

“Stimulating work, people, culture and environment!”

That’s how Rural LAP Physiotherapist Penelope McBride describes her most recent Rural LAP placement.

Penelope has embraced the locum lifestyle across multiple placements, and her reflections capture exactly what makes Rural LAP so special:

💬 “I have enjoyed all of my placements with Rural LAP. This incredible organisation has supported practitioners in rural and remote areas and there is palpable relief to have locum coverage! The work is so interesting and diverse, the places you find yourself are invariably fascinating, and the people with whom you interact have very real stories. It's an amazing privilege to be able to be in different parts of Australia and explore the local culture and bush of the area.”

To any health professional considering locum work, Penelope has one simple message: “Apply!”

Thank you, Penelope, for the incredible impact you make in rural and remote communities and for bringing your passion, curiosity and care to every placement.

28/11/2025

The Rural LAP office will be closed from midday on Friday, 19 December 2025, until Monday, 5 January 2026. During this time, Rural LAP will have a skeleton on-call team to ensure our locums are still supported while on placement.

During this time, our website will be open for support requests and locum EOIs, but we will not be reviewing these until we return on the 5th of January. If you have URGENT questions during this period, please reach out to your program officer.

Address

Suite 17S 2 King Street
Deakin, ACT
2600

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

1800 RURAL LAP (78725 527)

Website

http://rurallap.com.au/

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Our Story

The Rural Locum Assistance Program (Rural LAP) combines the Rural Obstetric and Anaesthetic Locum Scheme (ROALS), the Nursing and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme (NAHRLS) and the Rural Locum Education Assistance Program (Rural LEAP). The aims of the amalgamated program include enhancing the ability of healthcare professionals in rural Australia to take leave and undertake continuing professional development (CPD) activities and improving the retention of these health professionals in rural locations. The program will also enhance the ability of metropolitan-based general practitioners (GPs) to upskill professional competencies in Emergency Medicine. Rural LAP was established by the Australian Government to support specialist and GP obstetricians and anaesthetists, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in rural and remote Australia to take leave from their work for up to 14 working days (categories 2-7) for recreation and CPD leave and up to 28 working days for remote placements (categories 5-7) supporting recreation and CPD (noting that priority will be given to placements with a CPD component or located in MMM categories 6 and 7). Rural LAP also offers financial assistance to urban GPs who require training in order for them to become rural locums. Training for Rural LAP focusses on emergency medicine and to be eligible you must be willing to undertake a general practice locum placement in rural and remote Australia.