Are you missing out on replacement DWS opportunities?

Practices are missing out on Replacement DWS (now known as DPA GP job replacements) opportunities unnecessarily because they are not fully informed about the process. If you can answer yes to any of the following two questions, you may be missing out on these valuable exemptions:

Has a GP with a DWS exemption left your clinic?
Have you recently lost DWS status in your area and you are waiting for a GP to commence who was speaking to you when you were still a DWS area?

Good news! You can still get a DWS provider number. However, to do this, you need to make sure you have the correct documentation. Medicare and 19AB are very particular about paperwork – as we are sure you all know!

We’ve listed a few things for practices to think about to avoid missing out on these opportunities:

When a GP leaves the practice:

Are you making sure they leave their DWS exemption for you? Make sure this is a requirement included in their contract to ensure compliance.
Did they cancel their provider number? This is the most common mistake we come across. Many practices don’t realise that GPs who leave the practice need to cancel their DWS provider number for a replacement exemption to be used for an incoming GP. They also need to give you proof of the cancellation so you have evidence to provide to Medicare and 19AB
Have they provided you with a carefully worded statuary declaration?

Having a DWS available can make the difference between filling a GP vacancy and having a position open for months and even years. Don’t miss out on these very valuable opportunities!