Prescript Recruitment Blog - Perfectly Placed For Doctors - Locum and Permanent Jobs

Recruitment Solutions

, ,

Welcome Paul Tillman - Senior Recruitment Partner For Non-Specialist Doctors

, ,

We are delighted to welcome Paul Tillman to the Prescript Recruitment team! Paul is our Senior Recruitment Partner for non-specialist doctors - focusing on helping doctors find RMO, Registrar and SMO positions across Australia.

“Having worked in medical recruitment for over five years, I have a great understanding of the roles available and the challenges health services face in finding staff for their vacancies. ”

As Prescript’s Recruitment Partner for non-specialist doctors, I am passionate about building close relationships with both the doctors and health services I work with. I always aim to provide a personal and tailored service and will strive to find the best opportunities for doctors based on their needs and goals and, in turn, provide health services with the best fit for the vacancies they have.

Before working in medical recruitment, I was a Registered Nurse in the UK and worked as a Respiratory HDU Nurse for NHS trusts. This means I have a great insight into the challenges of working clinically and always try to consider this in my work.

I am currently studying Nursing again to allow me the opportunity to return to some clinical work in Australia. My family and I moved to Melbourne from the UK over five years ago, and I enjoy travelling and exploring Australia whenever I can, as well as getting back home to visit family in the UK.

My passions are spending time with friends and family, including my dog Ted, eating and drinking out, enjoying the Australian weather (when Melbourne allows) and sports – most of all football (or soccer, as I am often told).

I always have time for a chat and a joke with health services and doctors alike and look forward to building new connections at Prescript.

How To Contact Paul

Paul is based in Prescript’s Melbourne office, near the Docklands and Southern Cross Station. You are welcome to come by for a coffee when you’re near!

Prescript’s Senior Recruitment Partner - Non-Specialist Doctors

0415 075 498 // paul@prescript.com.au

Prescript Recruitment, L2/696 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

 
“Every day the team at Prescript is focused on what we do best - helping regional areas find doctors, filling rosters and providing peace of mind.”
 
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”
, ,

Welcome Melissa Crane - Prescript Quality Standards (PQS) Manager

, ,

We are delighted to welcome Melissa Crane to the Prescript Recruitment team! Melissa is our Prescript Quality Standards (PQS) Manager and is dedicated to providing exceptional service to our doctors, health services and recruitment partners. She brings her client-focused attitude, as well as her previous knowledge of medical credentialing and love of all things administrative and process-driven, to reinforce the quality standards at Prescript.

“PQS gives peace of mind to health services that each Prescript doctor has met a consistent level of checks. Plus doctors can rely on PQS to help their applications stand out, as well as minimise duplication of paperwork.”
— Melissa Crane

“Work smarter not harder” is an affirmation that Melissa likes to apply when it comes to creating new processes that can increase productivity and make our work more efficient and smooth.  Melissa prides herself on being able to build great rapport with clients - great communications skills are crucial to success in her role.

Melissa is originally from Ireland and moved to Australia almost nine years ago, making Melbourne her home away from home. Melissa loves to cook and would gladly have a roast dinner every Sunday if she could. She loves hosting dinner parties and sharing a nice bottle of red with friends. When Melbourne weather allows, she will always take the opportunity to relax at the beach or the park in the sunshine.

How To Contact Melissa Crane

Melissa is based in Prescript’s Melbourne office, near the Docklands and Southern Cross Station. You are welcome to come by for a coffee when you’re near!

Prescript Quality Standards (PQS) Manager

0451 828 615 // melissa@prescript.com.au 

Prescript Recruitment, L2/696 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

 
“Every day the team at Prescript is focused on what we do best - helping regional areas find doctors, filling rosters and providing peace of mind.”
 
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”
, ,

Doctors With Borders

, ,

Did you know doctors are not exempt from interstate travel restrictions? Australia had a doctor shortage in regional areas before COVID, but complicated border restrictions exacerbate this.  

Regional and remote areas rely on locum doctors flying from one side of the country to another to provide specialised medical services. These doctors are confirmed far in advance to secure their time – plane tickets, hotels and motels booked, paperwork and background checklists thoroughly ticked off – most importantly, patients are booked in for the locum doctor to see. 

When interstate border restrictions happen, the doctor cannot go or risks quarantining. Due to the shortage of doctors, there is often no one to replace them at the last minute. You then end up in the situation of that regional community going without the healthcare they deserve.

I understood why it is easier to have blanket rules, especially at the pandemic's beginning. Now it is doing more harm than good. It is dangerous to stop doctors from flying. I am calling for a nuanced approach. Now is the time to allow doctors to fly to where they need to be.

Decision-makers talk about 'keeping us safe', but unseen consequences exist. If these consequences remain unseen and unspoken, then who is held accountable?

I feel in a unique position as a doctor recruitment agency owner to see first-hand the lack of joined-up thinking in Australia with border rules. Prescript Recruitment has a helicopter view of what is happening across every State and Territory. We help fill critical vacancies. We see each day how well-meaning rules to protect us are making people sick.


Let me share a typical day for the Prescript team working from home:

ABC News 24 on in the background

Morning team zoom meeting "We're expecting a government press conference at 11"

We regroup at Midday to digest the latest news.

What action do we need to take?

➞ Which locum doctors can't go to where Prescript booked them?

➞ Which locum doctors can't get home from where they are working currently?

➞ What help can we provide in replacing a locum doctor for a hospital?

➞ Can a doctor race across a border right now before the roadblocks are in place?

➞ Due to uncertainty, which doctors have to cancel their future booked locum positions?

The news channel announces another rule change from another state or territory.

We regroup to digest the latest news.

We action 1 to 5 again.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

This isn't about the impact on Prescript, but it paints a picture of the chaos caused by a border closure. Imagine the hundreds of patients having appointments cancelled behind every locum doctor cancellation. You might not even know, as a patient, you have missed out on doctors services. Is the delay you experienced to see a specialist expected or the direct result of a doctor trapped on the wrong side of a border?

In just the last few days, WA putting restrictions on doctors travelling has meant cities (we are not talking remote) have to go without certain specialist coverage. Is the consequence of that quantifiable?

Something that I can see that won't appear on any report is all the missed opportunities. Uncertainty with borders makes doctors hesitant to put their hands up for locum work. There have been so many false starts that it makes sense for a doctor to stick closer to home. Why risk a trip to a remote part of Australia when you might lose that income or lose that chance to help? We can never know all the good that hasn't happened – these are the locum positions that were not cancelled but never even started—missed opportunities for patients and communities.

What is the solution? I believe the federal, state and territory governments can make doctors the exception that proves the rule. Doctors who are double vaccinated, boosted and willing to fly should be allowed to. Time to move away from black & white and find the grey in-between – it is in the grey that we will see better healthcare.

To be clear – there must still be rules. Remember, though, that there are always rules for locum doctors. The paperwork for a locum position in regular times could make your toes curl – credentialing, qualification checks, police reports, references, immunisation history (this bit is nothing to do with COVID vaccine – it's all the other immunisations doctors have to prove). The point is that if you are going to let any section of the community cross borders, you can trust that doctors will be willing and happy to provide whatever assurances are needed.

Let's throw away these blanket rules that are stopping doctors fly. If you want exceptional healthcare from exceptional doctors, l say let's put an exception in place now!

About James Hill

James is a medical recruitment specialist. He is passionate about helping regional hospitals and practices across Australia find doctors for their permanent and locum positions.

As the founder of Prescript Recruitment, he has the practical experience of delivering an exceptional recruitment service for doctors with the result that communities everywhere have the healthcare they deserve.

James has fifteen years of working with healthcare providers, and this has given him a first-hand insight into the issues they face to attract doctors. His successful track record of filling locum and permanent positions in every State and Territory means he knows what strategies work and what don't.

Adelaide is home to the Prescript mascot Bonnie, and that is where you can find James. Borders permitting (we are all familiar with this!) James is often hopping on a plane to visit colleagues in Hobart, Sydney, Melbourne and all the remote corners of NSW.

There are three ways to contact James:

  1. Call James on 0410 792 310

  2. Email james@prescript.com.au 

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript’

 
“I believe for you to partner with the right medical recruitment agency, that reflects your wishes and lifestyle choices, is so important. Prescript’s focus is on what matters most to you, whatever stage of your career, your location or your future plans.”
James Hill - Founder Prescript
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”
, ,

Welcome To Prescript - Mel Houston - Senior Recruitment Partner For Doctors

, ,

We are delighted to welcome Mel Houston to the Prescript team!

Mel is a Senior Recruitment Partner, working with rural generalists and emergency medicine doctors across metro and regional Australia.

Her experience covers over fifteen years of medical recruitment, specialising in senior doctors and solving the healthcare shortage.

Mel is an expert in working in close consultation with hospitals, departments and clinics to fill their critical vacancies. Her success has included roster management, executive search projects and in-depth relationship building with locum doctors.

Mel is from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and loves its beach lifestyle and the fact it is just close enough to the city (but not too close!).

“I am excited to join the team at Prescript. I love being able to make doctors happy and find them the best locum jobs for them.
I also love finding out about different regional locations and promoting this to doctors, so they have the best locum experience.”
— Mel Houston

How To Contact Mel Houston

Mel is based in Prescript’s Melbourne office, near the Docklands and Southern Cross Station. You are welcome to come by for a coffee when you’re near!

Mel Houston - Senior Recruitment Partner

0414 716 132 mel@prescript.com.au 

Prescript Recruitment, L2/696 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

 
“Every day the team at Prescript is focused on what we do best - helping regional areas find doctors, filling rosters and providing peace of mind.”
 
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”
,

What's Your (Work) Wellness Action Plan?

,
Wellness Action Plan.png

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Will our internal borders reopen soon? Will doctors be able to fly to every part of Australia to provide locum services or take up a new permanent role? These are the questions we are asking at Prescript.

Just before Christmas 2020, I remember posting on our company notice board that 2021 would be full of good news. Onwards and upwards - sunny uplands await! Well, of course, we know what has happened since then.

We are almost at that point again. I am peering ahead into 2022 and thinking about what it will look like for our Prescript doctors, our Prescript health service clients and our Prescript internal team.

Our job as a medical recruitment company is to support our doctors and clients ‘now’ and remind them there is a ‘later’. The ‘later’ we refer to is healthcare as usual - doctors able to travel freely, communities getting the healthcare they deserve.

My job as the founder of Prescript is also to support our Prescript internal team ‘now’ and remind them there is a ‘later’ too. Looking after the team when times are tough and inspiring them that good times lie ahead.

Maybe a silver lining of the pandemic is that conversations about mental health are happening with more frequency and urgency. It’s ok not to be ok.

How have you supported your mental health when working from home doing telehealth & teleradiology or from your workplace at a hospital or a clinic? Do you have a wellness action plan?

Prescript has seen how hard doctors have been working:

★ staffing fever clinics

★ swapping from their usual roles to go where the need is greatest

★ volunteering to quarantine to fulfil locum commitments

★ crossing national and inter-state borders when possible

★ showing good humour and understanding with all the travel changes that have taken place

★ making sure regional communities have the healthcare they need

The health services we work with have been incredible, too - each time a border closed, we saw medical administration and management swing into action to put a plan in place to cover shortages. Flights booked, cancelled and rebooked; accommodation reservations unpicked; credentialing paperwork fast-tracked. Phew!

I do want to share a massive acknowledgement for the Prescript Recruitment team. I know that the doctors, hospitals, and practices we partner with have benefited from having Prescript operate at full capacity – the team have been there to manage cancelled locum shifts, change travel logistics, juggle border closures and answer questions. Our recruitment and credentialing teams have worked diligently to support our Prescript doctors and health services.

What has Prescript done to support our Prescript team?

★ Kept every member of Prescript fully employed

★ Shared financial data for full transparency

★ Shared the business plan for each quarter to help the team feel secure

★ Daily team meetings via Zoom - focus on what help is needed and sharing team kudos and thank-yous

★ Introduced an Employee Assistance Programme for confidential counselling. Each Prescript team member had/has access to six hours of support over the phone, face-to-face or online

★ Wellness day off (see more here)

★ Team trivia quiz hosted by a comedian (online)

★ Sweek Mickie cookie deliveries

★ Biggest Morning Tea for the Cancer Council (we baked cakes and biscuits)

★ In-home massages for Sydney team members

★ Friday zoom wine-downs

★ Remote parties for celebrating birthdays

★ Baby shower games

★ Group meditation/hypnosis with an online library of resources available

★ Buddy system for support and time off

★ Sharing the responsibility for coming up with team activities

★ Budget for home-office set-up

★ Christmas 2020 get-together at Quay in Sydney

★ March 2021 get-together in Adelaide

★ Team communal lunches (remote and together)

Navigating through the last 18 months has been challenging.

Focusing on a wellness action plan has helped. It has meant that it’s ok not to be ok and it’s ok to prepare in advance.

FB Friendly.png

What Is A Wellness Action Plan?

Mind.org.uk details what we can do to look after our own mental health and wellbeing.

Identify your triggers

“Working out what triggers poor mental health for you can help you anticipate problems and find solutions. Whether it’s taking in too much negative news and media regarding the current circumstance or a heavy workload. Finding out your triggers can help.”

Take Time For Yourself

“Spending time on yourself is essential for your wellbeing, and helps you be more resilient. It’s vital to prioritise your own needs sometimes, rather than the demands of your work. Ignoring your needs can lead to stress and burn-out.”

Be Kind To Yourself

“In our current climate, we’re all going through a difficult time. It’s important to be kind to yourself and remember it’s okay to not be okay. We may feel different from one day to the next as situations change so it’s important to be kind to yourself.”

Connect with others

“Depending on the circumstance, working from home right now can be a lonely job. Evidence suggests that feeling close to, and valued by other people is a basic human need. Good relationships are important to our wellbeing. Try joining morning or evening online exercise classes, joining Facebook groups or even starting your own.”

Celebrate the small successes

“We all want to contribute and make a difference to the things we work on, we want to feel accomplished and that we’ve achieved something. So it’s important to celebrate the successes, big and small. Some days that might mean a great piece of work, other days it could mean doing housework or making the bed. Try to identify one small thing each day that you can accomplish.”

About James Hill

James Hill is a medical recruitment specialist. He is passionate about helping regional hospitals and practices across Australia find doctors for their permanent and locum positions.

As the founder of Prescript Recruitment, he has the practical experience of delivering an exceptional recruitment service for doctors with the result that communities everywhere have the healthcare they deserve.

James’ fourteen years of working with regional healthcare providers has given him a first-hand insight into the issues they face to attract doctors. His successful track record of filling locum and permanent positions in every State and Territory means he knows what strategies work and what don’t.

James is also a writer of blogs for LinkedIn and the Prescript Recruitment website where he draws on his experience to share his opinions on current staffing issues.

There are three ways to contact James:

  1. Call James on 0410 792 310

  2. Email james@prescript.com.au 

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript’

 
“I believe for you to partner with the right medical recruitment agency, that reflects your wishes and lifestyle choices, is so important. Prescript’s focus is on what matters most to you, whatever stage of your career, your location or your future plans.”
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

Prescript Team Photo LI Friendly.png
“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”
, ,

We Have Opened A New Office!

, ,
Hobart Prescript.png

We are excited to announce that Prescript Recruitment has opened our first office in Hobart! We spent the previous six years with our HQ in Sydney and also offices in Melbourne and Adelaide, but we couldn't be more excited about our latest location.

The new office is on the corner of Macquarie Street and Harrington Street, putting us right in the centre of Hobart.  In under a ten-minute walk, we can be by the water or Parliament Square or Salamanca markets. We're excited about the hustle and bustle happening outside our windows and all of the great cafes and restaurants within an easy walking distance.

There were several motivating factors to be in Hobart:

  1. New Prescript Team Member. We have a fantastic new Senior Recruitment Partner, Allison Flanigan (Hanson), joining us. Focused on helping doctors with locum and permanent positions across regional Australia. Allison lives in Hobart with her family, although you need to speak to her to guess where she is originally from! We are delighted to have Allison open and grow Prescript’s Tassie presence.

  2. Visibility. We're hoping our new location will help bolster our visibility in Tasmania. Doctors can pop in for a coffee. We’ll be a quick walk away from the RHH, Hobart Private Hospital and a short drive from Calvary St John’s and Calvary Lenah Valley. Prescript has locum doctors from all over Australia & NZ that love to locum in Hobart - they will now have us there in person too.

  3. Location. We're all huge advocates for solving the doctor shortage in communities across Australia. The Prescript team is spread over four states and eight locations, and we're excited that our Hobart location now furthers that commitment to be close to the health services and doctors we work with. Although our focus is regional areas, we recruit doctors nationwide (and globally!). It means that Allison might live in Hobart but will be filling positions wherever the need is greatest.

It has been an exciting six years for Prescript, and we look at this new location as the start of another chapter in our history.  We're still working on getting settled in, but we're incredibly excited to be here. We'll be hosting a catch-up for local doctors and clients, and if you're in the area, feel free to stop in and say hi!  

The new address is L2/162 Macquarie St, Hobart TAS 7000.

 
“Every day the team at Prescript is focused on what we do best - helping regional areas find doctors, filling rosters and providing peace of mind.”
 
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

Prescript - Solving The Regional Doctor Shortage
“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”
, , ,

Travel Update For Doctors - July & August 2021

, , ,
Travel Update Dr.png
“Latest News - July & August 2021”

Welcome to our Prescript travel information for doctors and health services.

Below are links to trusted sources for the latest news on Australian inter & intra-state travel restrictions.

If you are booked into a locum, through Prescript, we will contact you if there are any changes to your current logistics (and if you are relocating for a permanent position).

Border updates are frequently occurring and we will share the news with you as quickly as possible.

We know that changes cause uncertainty. Remember - Prescript Recruitment is here to help you.

If you would like to speak to us, there are three ways to get in contact:

  1. Call – 1300 755 498

  2. Email – contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click here to book a time to talk

State & Territory - Quick Links

🔊 Australian Capital Territory Travel Updates

🔊 New South Wales Travel Updates

🔊 Northern Territory Travel Updates

🔊 Queensland Travel Updates

🔊 South Australia Travel Updates

🔊 Tasmania Travel Updates

🔊 Victoria COVID-19 Updates

🔊 Western Australia Travel Updates

 

New Zealand / Australia Travel

🔊 Info from Australian Government.

 

About James Hill

James Hill is a medical recruitment specialist. He is passionate about helping regional hospitals and practices across Australia find doctors for their permanent and locum positions.

As the founder of Prescript Recruitment, he has the practical experience of delivering an exceptional recruitment service for doctors with the result that communities everywhere have the healthcare they deserve.

James’ fourteen years of working with regional healthcare providers has given him a first-hand insight into the issues they face to attract doctors. His successful track record of filling locum and permanent positions in every State and Territory means he knows what strategies work and what don’t.

James is also a writer of blogs for LinkedIn and the Prescript Recruitment website where he draws on his experience to share his opinions on current staffing issues.

There are three ways to contact James:

  1. Call James on 0410 792 310

  2. Email james@prescript.com.au 

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript’

 
“I believe for you to partner with the right medical recruitment agency, that reflects your wishes and lifestyle choices, is so important. Prescript’s focus is on what matters most to you, whatever stage of your career, your location or your future plans.”
“Prescript are medical recruitment specialists.”

At Prescript we’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage in Australia.

Every day we’re focused on two clear outcomes - Helping hospitals find doctors that create departments and clinics that run better, have more capacity and less stress. And placing Doctors in jobs that leave them feeling highly valued, rewarded and, most importantly, enjoying what they do.

We believe that when we get these two crucial things right, it has a huge impact on the regional doctor shortage and the healthcare of communities across Australia.

There are three ways to contact us:

  1. Call 1300 755 498

  2. Email contact@prescript.com.au

  3. Click 'Connect with Prescript'

 

We’d love to hear from you!

“We’re known for helping solve the regional doctor shortage, leaving doctors loving what they do and regional communities feeling like they have the best doctors in town.”