WORKFORCE: Perth GP Dr Ramya Raman elected next RACGP President:
Perth GP and RACGP Vice President and WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman was elected RACGP President-elect on 21 August 2026, becoming the first WA-based GP to lead the college nationally.
M&A: ACCC clears first GP practice deal under mandatory merger regime:
The ACCC cleared Partnered Health’s acquisition of Ryan Plaza Medical Services in August, marking the first GP practice transaction approved under Australia’s new mandatory merger notification regime.
MEDICARE: National GP bulk billing reaches 84.1%:
National GP bulk billing reached 84.1% for the June 2026 quarter, up from 81.9% in the previous quarter, with particularly strong growth among working-age patients.
REGULATORY: AHPRA medical registration renewal deadline approaching:
General and specialist medical practitioners must renew their AHPRA registration by 30 September 2026 and declare compliance with relevant registration standards, including CPD, recency of practice, professional indemnity insurance and criminal history requirements.
5,386 votes: Perth GP Dr Ramya Raman becomes the first WA-based GP to lead the RACGP nationally.
On 21 August 2026, Dr Ramya Raman — RACGP Vice President and WA Chair — was declared RACGP President-elect after securing an outright majority in the national ballot.
Dr Raman received 5,386 of the 9,866 votes cast, ahead of Dr Anita Muñoz with 3,611 votes and Dr Gavin Colthart with 869.
She will formally take over from Dr Michael Wright at the RACGP AGM on 19 November 2026.
The result represents a significant milestone for Western Australian general practice, placing a Perth-based GP at the head of Australia’s largest general practice college.
Separately, the ACCC’s August clearance of Partnered Health’s acquisition of Ryan Plaza Medical Services represented the first GP practice merger approved under Australia’s new mandatory notification regime, establishing an important precedent for future private equity and insurer-backed primary care transactions.
RACGP/newsGP, 21 August 2026; MLex, 10 August 2026
AHPRA general and specialist medical registration renewal due 30 September 2026. Medical practitioners must renew their registration by 30 September 2026 and declare compliance with the relevant mandatory registration standards.
Practitioners must meet requirements relating to CPD, recency of practice, professional indemnity insurance and criminal history. The medical CPD standard requires 50 hours of CPD each calendar year through an AMC-accredited CPD home.
Practitioners who do not renew by the standard deadline enter the late renewal period, with registration at risk of lapsing if renewal requirements are not completed within the required timeframe.
AHPRA / Medical Board of Australia, accessed August 2026
Perth GP Dr Ramya Raman elected next RACGP President. Dr Raman, RACGP Vice President, WA Chair and Director of The Garden Family Medical Clinic, was elected RACGP President-elect on 21 August 2026.
She secured an outright majority with 5,386 of 9,866 votes cast, ahead of Dr Anita Muñoz with 3,611 votes and Dr Gavin Colthart with 869.
Dr Raman will formally take over from Dr Michael Wright at the RACGP AGM on 19 November 2026, becoming the first WA-based GP to lead the college in this term.
RACGP media release; newsGP, 21 August 2026; The Australia Today, August 2026
Rural Generalist training programs accredited for specialist registration purposes. The Medical Board of Australia formally accredited the ACRRM and RACGP Rural Generalist training programs for specialist registration purposes, announced on 10–11 August 2026.
The decision confirms that both colleges’ Rural Generalist Fellowships meet national specialist standards and supports the progression of Rural Generalist Medicine as a formally recognised specialist field.
The development is particularly relevant to Western Australia, where Rural Generalists play an important role across regional and remote health services.
ACRRM media release, 11 August 2026; RACGP; Medical Republic; AusDoc, August 2026
RACGP continues rural workforce engagement through August events. The RACGP hosted its fourth Rural Showcase on 19 August and a GP Cultural Immersion Event on 18 August, connecting metropolitan-based registrars with rural practices and communities.
The initiatives form part of broader efforts to encourage future GPs to consider rural training and practice.
Medianet / RACGP media release, 19 August 2026
Bupa calls for prevention to anchor Australia’s next National Health Reform Agreement. Bupa released a discussion paper on 20 August arguing that prevention should play a central role in Australia’s next National Health Reform Agreement.
The paper was developed with consultancy Mandala and adds to the broader discussion around the future structure and funding of primary and preventative healthcare.
Medianet / Bupa, 20 August 2026
Rural Health West opens Round 19 of the Health Workforce Scholarship Program. Applications for Round 19 were open from 3–23 August 2026, offering eligible health professionals working in MM3–MM7 locations access to scholarships and bursaries.
The program provides up to $10,000 per year towards postgraduate study or professional development and is available to eligible WA rural health practitioners, including GPs.
Rural Health West, August 2026
No new AGPT 2027 allocation, RACGP CCE or WA registrar pipeline data was published during August. The most recently confirmed figures remain 294 WA AGPT places and a 79% overall pass rate for the RACGP 2026.1 CCE.
15 WA UCCS OPERATING | 137 NATIONAL CLINIC TARGET ACHIEVED | FINAL NOUS EVALUATION DUE 2026
No new WA UCC openings, tenders or funding announcements identified in August 2026. Western Australia’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinic network remains at 15 operational sites.
The network includes Beeliar, Broome, Bunbury, Booragoon, Clarkson, Ellenbrook, Geraldton, Gosnells, Midland, Mundaring, Nollamara, Perth City/Morley, Rockingham, Yanchep and Armadale.
WAPHA reported no current open tender opportunities during August.
WAPHA urgent-care-clinics page, accessed August 2026
Nous Group’s final Medicare UCC evaluation remains underway. The Final Evaluation Report examining the national Medicare Urgent Care Clinic program remains in progress, with delivery expected by the end of 2026.
No interim evaluation report was released during August.
Department of Health / Nous Group, accessed August 2026
National GP bulk billing reaches 84.1% for the June 2026 quarter. National GP bulk billing reached 84.1% for the June quarter, according to figures reported in early August, up from 81.9% in the previous quarter.
Growth was particularly strong among working-age patients aged 16–64, whose bulk billing rate increased to 78.6%, representing an 8.2 percentage point year-on-year increase.
A specific Western Australian figure was not itemised in the release.
newsGP / RACGP; Department of Health, August 2026
No new WA-specific BBPIP registration figures published in August. No updated Western Australian Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program registration count was published during the month.
The most recently confirmed national figure remains more than 3,700 registered practices as of April 2026.
Briefing review, August 2026
July Medicare reforms continue through their transition periods. No significant new announcements relating to MBS indexation, Assignment of Benefit or GP Chronic Condition Management Plans were identified during August.
The reforms introduced on 1 July 2026 remain in effect, including the transition arrangements associated with the new chronic condition management and Assignment of Benefit requirements.
Department of Health / MBS Online, August 2026
ACCC clears first GP practice transaction under mandatory merger notification regime. The ACCC cleared Partnered Health’s acquisition of Ryan Plaza Medical Services, which operates Medicine on Second in Maroochydore, Queensland, in a determination issued on 7 August and reported on 10 August 2026.
The transaction is the first GP practice acquisition assessed and approved under Australia’s new mandatory merger notification regime.
Partnered Health, majority-owned by Quadrant Private Equity, operates a national network of primary care clinics.
MLex, 10 August 2026; Australian Merger Tracker / MergerAlert, August 2026
Bupa’s proposed acquisition of Partnered Health remains under review. Bupa’s broader proposed acquisition of Partnered Health Group, valued at approximately $450 million, remains subject to regulatory approval.
The transaction covers Partnered Health’s national primary care network, including Western Australian clinics, as well as urgent care operations.
No new determination or WA-specific regulatory update was reported during August.
Briefing review, August 2026
No other significant WA primary care transactions announced in August. No publicly reported acquisitions involving ForHealth, Brecken Health, Jupiter Health, Spectrum Health, GP West, IPN or Sonic Health Plus were identified during the month.
Briefing review, August 2026
Partnered Health deal provides first test of new GP merger regime. The ACCC’s clearance of Partnered Health’s acquisition of Ryan Plaza Medical Services represents the first GP practice transaction to progress through the new mandatory merger notification framework.
The decision is being watched by private equity-backed healthcare operators and insurers as an early indication of how future primary care consolidation will be assessed.
The relatively straightforward clearance could also provide greater certainty for future bolt-on acquisitions by larger primary care platforms, including those operating in Western Australia.
MLex; Australian Merger Tracker, August 2026
No new WA-specific private equity transactions identified in August. No new platform acquisitions, capital raises or exits involving Western Australian GP or allied health assets were publicly reported during the month.
Briefing review, August 2026
Next briefing: 1 October 2026, 08:00 AWST — covering September 2026 developments.
For local market insights and tailored advice for both doctors and practices, contact:
Adelene Chew
Senior Consultant
DXC Medical Perth
+61 430 037 389
adelene.chew@dxcmedical.com.au
This month’s WA Primary Care Update covers the key developments shaping general practice across the state, including the Partnered Health cyber breach, new skilled visa processing priorities for GPs, RACGP CCE results, Medicare changes and updated AHPRA requirements. We also look at the latest workforce, urgent care, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and migration updates affecting WA doctors and practices.
Practical Advice for International GPs to Set Yourself Up for Success For many international GPs, securing that first role in Australia is the culmination of months, or even years, of planning, exams, registration processes, visa applications and relocation preparations. But while obtaining a position is a significant milestone, the real learning often begins once you start practising in the Australian healthcare system.
