Dr Rabeea Saeed on move from Abu Dhabi to Macksville on Mid-North Coast as part of regional NSW recruitment drive

It’s been a long journey from Abu Dhabi to Macksville via Coffs for Rabeea Saaed. The GP says doctors recruited internationally face many hurdles and the process needs work.

Dr Rabeea Saeed, pictured with her son, has travelled all the way from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to serve the Macksville's community on the Mid-North Coast. Picture: Supplied

It’s been a long journey from Abu Dhabi to Macksville on the Mid-North Coast for international doctor Rabeea Saaed, who describes the move as a “180 degree change”.

The general practitioner lives with her family at Coffs Harbour and has been working with Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Services since July.

After graduating in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2010, Dr Saaed decided she was going to work overseas for a “better education and a better future for her children”.

“We had a very good and quality life in Abu Dhabi, however, here we have a life more towards nature — to see the natural beauty which we found here which is so far so good,” she said.

Dr Saaed is one of many doctors brought into Australia on temporary skill shortage visas, a lengthy process she said could be faster and “more lean”.

“Going through such a long process of getting a compatibility assessment application and then searching for a job and getting a suitable position in a suitable area was a real challenge … ,” she said.

Doctors from overseas have to pass Australian Medical Council exams, verify credentials, pass an English language test, undergo a review by the Australian Medical Council and a comparability assessment. Would-be Aussie doctors also need medical registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency – and a job offer.

“I think we need to give international doctors more incentive by providing them permanent visas on a fast track basis so that they can come quickly and serve the regional communities here facing shortages,” Dr Saeed said.

DXC Medical Recruitment’s CEO Darren Compton says the current international recruitment process is too slow to address GP shortages.

Dr Saeed is one of close to 30 doctors recruited for the North and Mid-North coasts of NSW by international medical recruiters DXC over the last five years.

Doctors have settled in at Coffs Harbour, Macksville, Tenterfield, Casino, Lismore, Byron Bay, Ballina, Port Macquarie, Lake Cathie, Grafton and Tweed Heads.

DXC Medical Recruitment’s CEO Darren Compton agreed with Dr Saeed that the process could be fast-tracked to “help bridge the gap between patient demand and current GP workforce shortages”.

“The process can take between 7-12 months, although we have seen it take more than 2 years,” he said.

Dr Compton said the main bodies working with medical graduates before they can commence work in Australia still “work in silos and do not talk to each other”.

He also said the levy employers have to pay to sponsor overseas skilled workers, the Skilling Australia Fund, needed to be removed for GPs relocating to rural areas.

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