Joint Statement Calls for Urgent Action on Clinical Supervision in General Practice

General Practice Supervisors Australia (GPSA) has joined Australia’s leading primary care organisations in endorsing a Joint Statement calling for stronger recognition, resourcing and support for clinical supervision in general practice.

The statement, led by the National Council of Primary Care Doctors (NCPCD), highlights that clinical supervision is a core patient safety function and essential to building Australia’s future GP and rural generalist workforce, yet current policy and funding settings fail to consistently support it.

“Clinical supervision underpins safe patient care and high-quality training, but it is too often under-recognised and under-resourced,” says GPSA Chair, Dr Candice Baker.

The Joint Statement calls for:

• formal recognition and funding of clinical supervision across all training settings

• alignment with national safety and quality standards

• payment and infrastructure reform so supervision is not financially disadvantaged

• investment in supervisor capability and sustainability, particularly in rural and remote areas

GPSA emphasised that without action, increasing service pressures and limited resources will continue to strain supervisors and risk both training quality and patient safety.

“This Joint Statement makes it clear that clinical supervision is not optional. It must be properly supported to ensure safe care and a sustainable general practice workforce,” says Dr Baker

Read the Joint Statement here.