What is Rural LAP?

The Rural LAP is a component of the Australian Government’s rural workforce capacity agenda and aims to provide targeted rural support services to general practitioners, specialists (obstetricians and anaesthetists), nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in rural and remote Australia.

Rural LAP enables rural and remote professionals to take leave by finding suitable locums to back-fill positions, ensuring ongoing service delivery. Rural LAP recruits locums and covers associated costs of the locum’s accommodation, travel, meals and daily allowances. This means health services and practices must only pay the base locum rate.

Which health disciplines can register for locum work?

Rural LAP supports locum requests for a number of health disciplines including general practitioners, specialists (obstetricians and anaesthetists), nursing, midwifery and allied health. See eligibility for a full list of professions.

Contact Rural LAP for all the current locum vacancies. 

What skills and experience will I need to fill a Rural LAP locum placement?

Rural LAP will be seeking GP and Specialist obstetricians and anaesthetists, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals with a range of skills, qualifications and experience to fill locum placements. All health professionals need to have current unrestricted professional registration or credentialing in their field.

General requirements are listed on the eligibility page. Requirements for specific vacancies are included in the job listing.

What registration is required?

All health professionals must be registered in Australia and your registration or credentialing must be valid throughout the period of your locum placement. See eligibility for more details. 

What are the eligibility criteria to become a Rural LAP locum?

See eligibility for details for your profession.

How long are the locum placements?

Locum placements will be up to a maximum of 14 days for recreation or CPD, and up to 28 days for remote placements in Modified Monash Model (MMM) categories 5 – 7 supporting recreation and CPD leave (noting that priority will be given to placements with a CPD component or located in categories 6 and 7).

Where will my placement be located?

Rural LAP locum placements can be anywhere across rural and remote Australia.

How do I apply to become a Rural LAP locum?

You can apply online through our Jobs List page, either for a specific vacancy or as an open application to become an active candidate on our database.

You can also request an application pack be mailed out to you if this is more convenient.      

What allowances or incentives are associated with the programme?

Rural LAP locums will be eligible for a fixed travel and daily incentive allowances, regardless of location of locum placement.

Please contact Rural LAP for more information on these allowances.

What level of remuneration can I expect?

Each health service or practice requesting the locum support will advise Rural LAP of the proposed base rate and will vary depending on the location. Therefore, there are no set pay rates per locum assignment. The health professional will be advised of the rates applicable to the location seeking the services.  As a minimum you will be paid any applicable award rate.

Will Rural LAP cover my travel costs?

Rural LAP will arrange travel from your point of origin to the assignment site and return. Travel will be arranged from the nearest major airport and we ask individual’s to arrange travel from their home to the airport.

Who will arrange my accommodation?

Rural LAP will arrange and book suitable accommodation for you at your placement site for the duration of your locum assignment.