dental relocation and infrastructure support scheme (driss) · [email protected]. registered...

The Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing

Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme (DRISS)

Scheme Guidelines

Last updated: August 2013

Scheme Guidelines are reviewed at the end of each funding round and are subject to change.

Please visit www.rhwa.org.au for the most up-to-date version.

http://www.rhwa.org.au/

The Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme is funded by the

Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. 2

1. GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................... 3

2. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 4

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................. 4

4. DRISS OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 5

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................. 6

6. WHO CAN APPLY FOR FUNDING? .............................................................................. 7

7. DRISS FUNDING ROUNDS .......................................................................................... 9

8. DRISS GRANTS – RELOCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE ....................................... 9

9. THE RELOCATION GRANT ........................................................................................ 10

10. THE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT ........................................................................... 12

11. APPLYING FOR DRISS FUNDING .......................................................................... 15

12. APPLICATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS .............................................................. 17

13. APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS ................................................................................ 18

15. NON-COMPLIANT APPLICATIONS ......................................................................... 20

16. FUNDING AGREEMENT ......................................................................................... 20

17. FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION ............................................................... 21

18. TAXATION ............................................................................................................... 21

19. PROBITY ................................................................................................................. 21

20. FLOWCHART - APPLYING FOR DRISS FUNDING................................................. 23

21. CONTACT US .......................................................................................................... 24

22. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION .................................................................................. 24

Appendix A: PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION – REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ..................... 25

Appendix B: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND WEIGHTING ........................................... 26



1. GLOSSARY

The following terms are used in these guidelines:

Term Definition

DRISS Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme

DoHA Department of Health and Ageing

RHWA Rural Health Workforce Australia

RWAs Rural Workforce Agencies

ASGC-RA Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness

Area

Funding Agreement A contract outlining the terms and conditions attached to a grant

between a successful applicant and RHWA

Applicant A dentist applying for DRISS

Successful applicant A dentist who has met all the eligibility criteria and been offered

funding under DRISS



2. INTRODUCTION

The Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme (DRISS) was announced by the

Australian Government as part of the 2012-2013 Budget. DRISS supports the distribution of

dental services into regional and remote communities by providing relocation incentives and

infrastructure support grants to dentists.

Rural Health Workforce Australia (RHWA) administers DRISS on behalf of the Department of

Health and Ageing (DoHA).

DRISS consists of two components:

A. RELOCATION GRANTS of up to $120,000

B. INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS of up to $250,000

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of DRISS are to:

Support dentists who are relocating to more regional and remote locations within Australia by providing relocation and infrastructure support grants.

Increase the number of new practices and expand the services of existing private practices.

Address the needs of regional and remote communities and improve access to dental services by providing funding to establish new, and expand existing dental practices.

Increase the retention of dentists in regional and remote areas.

Support dentists to establish and enhance private dental services in regional and remote communities.

Provide information and support to dentists about DRISS.



4. DRISS OVERVIEW

Below is an overview of the key points relating to DRISS funding:

Applicants must meet the mandatory eligibility criteria to receive DRISS funding (see section 6.1).

Applicants must be relocating to deliver private dental services in a location that is more remote than their current practice location.

The remoteness of each location is based on the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA). The ASGC-RA for each area can be found at www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au.

Relocation payments are based on the ASGC-RA rating of an applicant’s original practice location and their destination practice location (see section 9).

Infrastructure grants up to $250,000 are available to cover equipment purchase and/or upgrade, capital works and refurbishment of premises (see section 10).

All grant payments under DRISS are made directly to a successful applicant, not to a dental practice or private business.

DRISS grant payments are considered ‘assessable income’ and are subject to tax by Australian Taxation Office (ATO) (see section 18).

Successful applicants who accept a DRISS grant are subject to a retention period in the relocation practice (See sections 9.2, 10.4 and 10.6).

http://www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au/



5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

DoHA will:

Fund DRISS

Provide a representative for the DRISS Steering Committee

Act as an external adjudicator in an appeals process.

RHWA will:

Administer DRISS on behalf of the Australian Government

Receive and screen all applications

Provide information about DRISS on the RHWA website, including application forms and guidelines

Evaluate DRISS and report to DoHA

Appoint and manage a DRISS Steering Committee

Support the DRISS Assessment Committee

Work with the Assessment Committee to assess and approve application for funding under DRISS.

The RWAs will:

Promote DRISS within their jurisdiction

Support successful applicants in their new practice location including:

providing support for partners and families

facilitating access to community support services

providing information about relevant conferences and training programs.



6. WHO CAN APPLY FOR FUNDING?

6.1. Mandatory eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet the mandatory criteria to be considered eligible for DRISS. All applicants

must:

Have general registration as a dentist with the Dental Board of Australia.

Be a permanent resident of Australia or be an Australian citizen.

Carry out private practice or a combination of private and public practice in the relocation destination**.

Be relocating to a location that is more regional or remote than the current practice, based on the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area (ASGC - RA).

Be providing predominantly general dental services.

Relocate on or after 1 July 2013.

** Applicants who intend to practice solely within the public sector are ineligible.

See Appendix B for full application assessment criteria methodology.

6.2. Eligible practice locations

To be eligible for DRISS, applicants need to be relocating to an area that is more regional or

remote than their current practice location. The ASGC - RA is used to determine the

remoteness of the practice location and is defined as:

RA 1 - Major City (not eligible for DRISS funding)

RA 2 - Inner Regional

RA 3 - Outer Regional

RA 4 - Remote

RA 5 - Very Remote

Applicants must be moving to a more remote area to be eligible for DRISS e.g. relocating from

RA 2 to RA 3. Applicants relocating to an area within the same ASGC-RA category are not

eligible for funding under DRISS. The ASGC-RA status of a location is determined using the

mapping locator at www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au. Applicants that are unable to provide

evidence of a current or most recent dental practice e.g. where the applicant is a

http://www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au/



dental graduate, a graduate of the Voluntary Dental Graduate Year Program or re-entering the

workforce, are advised to contact the DRISS team (see section 21 for contact details) to discuss

options.

6.3. Hours of operation

Applicants must be working full time to receive the full relocation payment (see table in section

9 for relocation payments). Full time hours are considered a minimum of 30 clinical hours per

week and can include work in both private and public practice.

A pro-rata payment may be provided to applicants undertaking part time work. The payment

amount will be negotiated with each individual applicant. The minimum working hours that will

be considered for pro-rata payments is 0.5 FTE (15 hours) per week.

6.4. Receipt of other grants

Applicants receiving grant funding through other Commonwealth or State and Territory

incentives programs may still be eligible for DRISS. The onus is on the applicant to disclose all

current incentives received in the application form.

6.5. Retrospective payments

Applicants that have relocated prior to submitting an application may still be eligible for funding

under DRISS depending on individual circumstances. For example, an unsuccessful applicant

may wish to reapply in a subsequent funding round after relocating. Retrospective payments

only will be considered where an applicant has relocated within 6 months prior to the opening of

a funding round.

Retrospective applications for relocation or infrastructure contracted or purchased prior to 1 July

2013 will not be considered.

6.6. Applicants relocating to be a salaried employee

Applicants who are relocating as a salaried employee of an existing private dental practice are

eligible to apply for both the relocation and infrastructure grant. It is important to note however,

that grant payments are made to the applicant (i.e. the relocating dentist), not to the practice.



Where the applicant is a salaried employee, details of the employment agreement must be

provided with the application form. When applying for an infrastructure grant, the applicant must

provide evidence of an agreement between the applicant and employer that the applicant will

provide services for the duration of the agreed retention period and make use of the

infrastructure.

7. DRISS FUNDING ROUNDS

DRISS has two funding rounds each year which are announced and advertised on the RHWA

website. Applicants are encouraged to register their interest in DRISS by emailing

[email protected]. Registered parties are notified via email when a funding round has

opened.

The number of grant payments made in each round is dependent on the number of eligible

applicants and the amount requested by each applicant. Applicants must note that due to the

limited funding in each round, applicants may meet all the eligibility criteria but may not be

successful.

8. DRISS GRANTS – RELOCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

There are two grants available under DRISS.

Relocation grants ranging between $15,000 and $120,000

Infrastructure grants of up to $250,000.

The relocation grant is available to applicants relocating to a more remote area of Australia to

deliver private dental services. The amount offered to each applicant will vary depending on

where applicants are moving from and to. See section 9 for more information.

To be eligible for the infrastructure grant applicants must be relocating to a more remote

location of Australia to deliver private dental services. The grant is to assist with the purchasing

or upgrade of equipment, capital works and refurbishing premises. See section 10 for more

information.

mailto:[email protected]



9. THE RELOCATION GRANT

To be eligible for DRISS, applicants need to be relocating to an area that is more regional or

remote than their current practice location. Relocation payments are based on an assessment

of the applicant’s original practice location and the destination practice location, as determined

by ASGC-RA. The relocation grant amount is set in accordance with Australian Government

guidelines and is as follows:

Successful applicants who are setting up a new practice are entitled to the full relocation

payment amount immediately after relocating and commencing practice.

Successful applicants who are relocating to become salaried employees of a private practice

are required to show evidence of employment arrangements. Salaried applicants will receive

50% of the agreed payment amount 6 months after commencing service and a final 50%

payment 12 months after commencing service.

If an applicant is not currently practicing, the proposed location must be more remote than the

most recent location of dental practice. An applicant must have worked at their most recent

dental practice within the last 12 months. Applicants that are unable to provide evidence of a

current or most recent dental practice e.g. where the applicant is a dental graduate, a graduate

of the Voluntary Dental Graduate Year Program or re-entering the workforce, are advised to

contact the DRISS team (see section 21 for contact details) to discuss options.

Applicants relocating to an area within the same ASGC-RA category are not eligible for

funding under DRISS.

Relocating from:

Locating to: Inner Regional (ASGC-RA2)

Outer Regional (ASGC-RA3)

Remote (ASGC-RA4)

Very Remote (ASGC-RA5)

Major Cities (ASGC-RA1)

$15,000

$30,000

$60,000

$120,000

Inner Regional (ASGC-RA2)

$15,000

$30,000

$60,000

Outer Regional (ASGC-RA3)

$15,000

$30,000

Remote (ASGC-RA4)

$15,000



9.1. Support services

The RWAs provide support services to successful applicants upon relocation. The individual

services offered are tailored to each location but will include:

support for partners and families

facilitating access to community support services

providing information about relevant conferences and training programs.

9.2. Retention period

A successful applicant must provide dental services in the relocation practice for a minimum of

12 months.

Where a successful applicant defaults on the 12 month retention period, RHWA will recover

payments made, depending on the amount of time lapsed.

Where a salaried applicant defaults on the 12 month retention period, one or both of the

relocation payments will not be made, depending on the time lapsed.

9.3. Extended leave

A successful applicant may be able to access up to 12 months extended leave during the

retention period, however this time will not be calculated as part of the service requirements.

RHWA must be notified of the proposed leave as soon as possible so that the necessary

adjustments can be made to the payment schedule.

Extended leave is a leave period between 4 weeks and 12 months. Extended leave may cover

periods such as maternity leave or long-term sickness.



10. THE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT

Please note: To apply for the infrastructure grant, applicants must meet the mandatory

eligibility criteria (see section 6.1).

The infrastructure grant payment is designed for applicants who are relocating to a more remote

area and wish to undertake capital works or purchase/upgrade dental equipment to support

their practice.

10.1. What can be funded with the Infrastructure grant?

The infrastructure grant can be used to provide dental services in the new practice through:

Purchasing or upgrading dental equipment

Capital works to construct a dental health practice

Capital works to build an extension to an existing structure

Refurbishing an existing structure.

10.2. What cannot be funded with the Infrastructure grant?

The following items cannot be funded with the Infrastructure grant:

Projects located in ASGC-RA 1

Strategic service planning

Residential accommodation or furnishings

Equipment purchase for public hospitals or health campuses

Salaries

Consulting fees in grant preparation

Business planning

Consumables

Ongoing recurrent costs such as operating costs.

10.3. Payment of the Infrastructure grant

The infrastructure grant payments are negotiated with successful applicants dependent upon

individual circumstances. Payments of up to $250,000 are available which can cover a mix of

infrastructure costs e.g. equipment and/or capital works and/or refurbishment. The



number of grant payments will vary depending on the number of applications received.

10.4. Retention period

A successful applicant is subject to a period of retention in a relocation practice depending on

the amount of grant funds offered and the type of infrastructure, i.e. for dental equipment or for

capital works.

A successful applicant that is offered the maximum infrastructure grant ($250,000) is subject to

a 2 year retention period, commencing when the applicant starts providing dental services in the

relocation practice.

The retention period for infrastructure grants that are less than the maximum amount are

negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

10.5. Default and recovery payment for infrastructure grant

Where a successful applicant defaults on the agreed retention period, i.e. the successful

applicant leaves the relocation practice before the retention period ends, RHWA will seek

recovery payments. A default clause will be negotiated for each individual contract.

Example of a recovery payment:

A successful applicant receives $100,000.00 infrastructure grant with an agreed 1 year

retention.

If the successful applicant defaults after 3 months, 75% of the total infrastructure grant amount

will have to be repaid.



10.6. Extended leave

A successful applicant may be able to access 12 months extended leave, however this time will

not be calculated as part of the service requirements.

Extended leave is a leave period between 4 weeks and 12 months. Extended leave may cover

periods such as maternity leave or long-term sickness

Extended leave does not need to be taken as one continuous period, but the retention period

must be completed within the following timescale:

Agreed retention period If extended leave is taken, retention period must be completed within:

1 year 3 years

2 years 4 years

3 years 5 years

RHWA must be notified of the proposed leave as soon as possible so that adjustments can be

made to the payment schedule (see section 21 for contact details).



11. APPLYING FOR DRISS FUNDING

Applicants should refer to these guidelines when completing the application form.

Application forms for DRISS funding can be obtained from the RHWA website, via email

[email protected] or by calling 1800 475 433.

The assessment criteria are provided in Appendix B of the guidelines. It is recommended that

applicants read and understand how each question is assessed and weighted when completing

the application form.

Successful applicants must be in a position to accept a DRISS offer. It is not possible to defer

an offer for grant funding.

High quality, well-considered applications, including detailed financial information where

available, should be submitted for assessment. Applicants should provide the requested

information succinctly, while including sufficient detail about the intended relocation and/or

infrastructure. Applicants can present information in dot point format.

It is recommended that applicants retain a copy of the application form for record-keeping

purposes.

The application form contains a number of questions that offer a choice between completing a

template textbox or attaching a prepared document. Where an applicant chooses to attach a

document(s), the file should be in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PDF.

Additional information to support the application should be attached as appendices and

correctly labelled.

If submitting an application by post the applicant must provide 2 copies of the application forms

and supporting documents. If applying by email, the forms and supporting documents should be

attached. The email should be titled ‘DRISS application – [Insert Date and Name]’

Extensions beyond the submission date will not be granted.

Applicants must download and use the template application forms when applying. All

forms must be completed in font size 11 and submitted by post or email.




Applications are not considered if they are:

Submitted after the due date

Submitted outside of an open funding round

Incomplete

Submitted via fax

Handwritten

Not completed on the template application form.

Applications received are acknowledged by email. If an acknowledgement email is not received

within 24 hours of submitting an email application or within 2 days of posting an application,

contact the DRISS team (see section 20 for contact details).

11.1. Applicant proof of identification

All applicants must verify their identification by submitting specified documents with their

application. Applicants must provide at least one primary identification document, and at least

one secondary identification document. A list of approved primary and secondary identification

documents is provided at Appendix A.

Applicants must provide ‘certified copies’ of original primary documents. Certified copies of

secondary documents are not required.

Please do not supply any original documents as proof of identification documents will not be

returned.

Certified copies are copies authorised or stamped as being true copies of originals by a person

or agency. For a list of persons authorised to certify documents in your state please go to

www.ag.gov.au.

http://www.ag.gov.au/



12. APPLICATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Grants offered through DRISS are assessed in a competitive, merit based process.

RHWA conducts an initial screening to assess applications against the mandatory eligibility

criteria (section 6.1). Applications that meet the mandatory eligibility criteria are sent to an

assessment committee, which will include an RHWA representative and experts from the dental

workforce sector. The committee assess the applications against a needs-based set of criteria

corresponding to the area to which the applicant is relocating (see Appendix B for assessment

criteria). Referee checks are carried out for successful applicants.

Applicants should note that each funding round has limited funding, which means applicants

may meet mandatory eligibility criteria but not be successful in receiving funding.

Successful applicants receive a verbal offer of funding, subject to negotiating a Funding

Agreement between RHWA and the successful applicant. RHWA will provide a template

Funding Agreement for applicants outlining the terms and conditions of accepting a grant. A

period of 28 days is allocated to negotiate the Funding Agreement. Once agreement is reached,

RHWA will send a formal letter of offer to the successful applicant. The successful applicant

must return a signed copy of the letter of offer to the DRISS team to formally accept the offer.

Unsuccessful applicants are notified in writing. Unsuccessful applicants wishing to appeal a

decision should write to the DRISS team within 28 days of notification of an unsuccessful

application (see section 13 for more details).

Applicants that meet the eligibility criteria but are unsuccessful due to limits on funding are

encouraged to apply again in future funding rounds.

See section 20 for a flowchart outlining the DRISS application and assessment process.



13. APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS

RHWA has a fair and non-discriminatory appeals and complaints handling procedure.

13.1. Process for lodgement

Applicants who wish to lodge an appeal or complaint about the DRISS grant funding process

must write to RHWA (see section 21 for contact details). Applicants should provide details of the

basis upon which the dispute or complaint is being lodged, including:

A clear statement regarding what you consider was defective in the decision-making and/or funding process

Copies of, or references to, information to support the complaint

A statement regarding what you wish to achieve from the complaint process.

13.2. Process for assessment

The DRISS team will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing within five working days

and attempt to resolve the matter internally. Applicants are advised of the decision in writing

within a reasonable timeframe; this will usually be within 15 working days of receiving all written

correspondence relating to a complaint.

13.3. Process for review

Where an applicant is not satisfied with the response provided by RHWA, RHWA will forward

the matter to an appeals panel to review. The appeals panel are independent of all committees

associated with the administration of DRISS. The panel will make a final decision where the

complaint is an appeal on a decision lodged by an unsuccessful applicant.

The appeals panel will notify the applicant in writing to advise of their appointment and the

expected time frame for making the internal review decision. The written notice will also include

a request for any further information that may be required to conduct the review. The applicant

will be given no less than 15 working days to provide any further information.

A representative from RHWA will notify the applicant in writing of the appeal panel’s decision. If

you are not satisfied you may wish to lodge a complaint with the Commonwealth Ombudsman

http://www.ombudsman.gov.au.

http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/



14. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Each application is assessed and scored based on a set of relevant criteria for both grant

components of DRISS by the assessment committee.

Applicant meets the mandatory eligibility criteria

Applications are ranked according to the ASGC-RA 2-5 classification of the proposed location. Each proposed location is allocated a score

A location needs assessment may be undertaken on proposed dental locations if further prioritisation of applications is required.

The Infrastructure grant applications are assessed and scored on the following criteria:

Applicant meets the mandatory eligibility criteria

Proposed location needs (40% weighting)

Service model criteria (30% weighting)

Business case/value for money criteria (30% weighting).

In determining a final score, the assessment committee may also consider other relevant

factors associated with the application.

Please see Appendix B for the full assessment and scoring criteria.



15. NON-COMPLIANT APPLICATIONS

All applications are initially assessed for compliance with DRISS mandatory eligibility criteria as

outlined at section 6.1.

Applications will be considered non-compliant if:

A dentist is relocating within the same AGSC-RA

Funding is sought for ineligible projects or services (see section 10.2)

There is insufficient evidence for a proper assessment of the application

The application is not made by an individual dentist.

16. FUNDING AGREEMENT

Applicants who have been offered an infrastructure and/or a relocation grant must enter into a

Funding Agreement with RHWA that sets out the conditions of the funding arrangements.

The Funding Agreement will document schedule of payments of grant funding for successful

applicants, which is linked to agreed milestones, outcomes and timeframes.

RHWA may, at its discretion defer, reduce or not make a payment of the grant(s) where it is

confident that full payment is not required by the applicant.

Successful applicants must provide periodic written and financial reports detailing the progress

of the project funded under DRISS. Successful applicants are required to participate in, and

contribute to, the evaluation of DRISS as a condition of receiving the Funding Agreement.

If the successful applicant does not meet the conditions under the Funding Agreement, RHWA

may at its discretion, vary or revoke the Funding Agreement.

Successful applicants must note that funding offered under DRISS may differ from the amount

requested by the applicant in the application.



17. FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION

Applications that are knowingly false or misleading will not be considered. In addition, RHWA

may at its absolute discretion, terminate the funding of a successful applicant if the applicant

has submitted false or misleading information.

18. TAXATION

Grant payments made under DRISS are considered ‘assessable income’ and are subject to tax

by Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Successful applicants who receive funding will need to

declare DRISS payments for tax purposes. Applicants are advised to seek advice from their

financial adviser, accountant or the ATO regarding individual tax arrangements.

19. PROBITY

RHWA is committed to providing funding under DRISS that is fair and transparent.

19.1. Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest may exist, for example, if the applicant or any of its personnel:

Has a relationship (whether professional, commercial or personal) with a party who is able

to influence the application assessment process, such as an RHWA staff member.

Has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation which is likely to interfere with or

restrict the applicant in carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently.

Has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal

gain as a result of the granting of funding under DRISS.

As a part of their application, each applicant must declare any existing conflicts of interest or

that, to the best of their knowledge, there is no conflict of interest that would impact on or

prevent the applicant from proceeding with the project or any funding agreement it may enter

into under DRISS.

Where an applicant identifies that an actual, apparent or potential conflict of interest exists or

might arise in relation to this application for funding, the applicant must inform the DRISS team

in writing immediately (see section 21 for contact details).



19.2. Confidentiality and Protection of Personal Information

Each applicant, as part of their application, is required to declare that they will comply with the

Protection of Personal Information Clause in the funding agreement which states that they will:

Comply with the Privacy Act (1988) (‘the Privacy Act’), including the 11 Information Privacy

Principles (IPPs), as if it were an agency under the Privacy Act, and the National Privacy

Principles (NPPs);

Refrain from engaging in direct marketing (s 16F of the Privacy Act), to the extent that the

NPP and/or s 16F apply to the Participant; and

Impose the same privacy obligations on any subcontractors it engages to assist with the

Project.

The Confidentiality Clause imposes obligations on the applicant with respect to special

categories of information collected, created or held under the Funding Agreement. Applicants

are required to seek RHWA’s consent in writing before disclosing Confidential Information.



20. FLOWCHART - APPLYING FOR DRISS FUNDING

Funding rounds dates advertised on RHWA website

www.rhwa.org.au

Funding round application packs are released and the

funding round opens for 6 weeks

Applicants submit completed application form and

appropriate evidence to RHWA

Funding round closes

Assessment committee reviews applications against

mandatory eligibility criteria (see section 6.1) and needs-

based criteria (see section 14)

Payment commences in line with the Funding

Agreement (see section 16)

If unsuccessful applicant appeals decision a

formal appeals process commences

Applicant informed. Unsuccessful applicant may

appeal decision or reapply in future rounds.

Applicant informed. Funding agreement

negotiations between RHWA and applicant

commence (maximum of 28 days)

SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATION

After agreement, RHWA will make a formal

offer. Successful applicant returns signed copy

of letter of offer.




21. CONTACT US

For further information or queries in relation to DRISS, please contact RHWA by:

Channel Details

Email

[email protected]

Online

Complete an online inquiry form - http://www.rhwa.org.au/

Telephone 1800 475 433 from 9am-5pm (AEST) Monday to Friday

Post DRISS c/-

Rural Health Workforce Australia

Suite 2, Level 5

10 Queens Road

MELBOURNE VIC 3004

22. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The following websites contain information that may be helpful when considering applying for

DRISS:

The Department of Health and Ageing: http://www.health.gov.au/

The Australian Tax Office: http://www.ato.gov.au/



http://www.health.gov.au/

http://www.ato.gov.au/



APPENDIX A: PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION – REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Applicants must submit relevant identification documents as part of the application. All

applicants must provide:

A certified copy of at least one primary document; and

A copy of at least one secondary document.

Please do not send original documents as they will not be returned.

Please provide at least ONE primary document and at least ONE secondary identification

document from the following table:

Primary Identification Documents

You must provide a certified copy of at least one of the following:

Passport (current or expired within last two years, but not cancelled)

Birth Certificate/Extract

Citizenship Certificate

If you have changed your name from that on the document (e.g. due to marriage etc.), the document cannot be accepted. Please call us on 1800 475 433 to discuss other options.

Secondary Identification Documents

You must provide a copy of at least one of the following:

Licence issued under Australian law (e.g. driver’s licence or other government issued licence) which contains a photograph or signature

A utility bill (e.g. water, electricity, gas)

A telephone bill or council rate notice

Medicare card

Foreign driver’s licence

A bank/credit union/building society passbook, statement or debit/credit card



APPENDIX B: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND WEIGHTING

RELOCATION GRANT

Assessment Criteria and Weightings

The following assessment criteria will be used to assess and prioritise Relocation Grant applications:

1. Mandatory Eligibility Criteria (see table)

2. Remoteness Area Classification (see table)

3. Referee checks Referee checks will be undertaken for successful applicants.

4. Dental Location Need Criteria A Dental Location Needs Assessment may be undertaken on proposed dental locations if further prioritisation of applications is required. This assessment is based on the proposed location for the dental service and includes weightings for: the remoteness of the location; demographic profile of community (population under 15 years; and over 65 years); socio-economic status of community weighted to measures of disadvantage; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

The table below outlines the issues that will be considered when assessing an application:

MANDATORY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. Applicant is a dentist who holds current General Registration with the Dental Board of Australia.

2. Applicant is a permanent resident or citizen of Australia.

3. Applicant will undertake private practice

1.

4. Applicant will provide predominantly general dental services.

5. Applicant is relocating to a location that is more regional or remote than the current practice,

based on the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area

(ASGC– RA).

6. The proposed relocation date is after 1 July 2013.

7. Application form is completed and required documentation is provided.

REMOTENESS AREA CLASSIFICATION

Applications are assessed according to the ASGC–RA classification of the proposed location. Priority will be given to applicants moving to more remote locations. Each proposed location will be allocated a score as follows:

Criteria Lowest Score

Highest score

Max

Score

Remoteness RA 1 RA2 RA3 RA4 RA 5

Score 0 5 10 15 20 20

1 Applicants who intend to carry out both private and public practice are still eligible for DRISS.

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT

Assessment Criteria and Weightings

The following terms are used in the infrastructure assessment criteria:

TERM DEFINITION

Mentoring/Training Undertaking mentoring and/or training of dental students in the location and/or for Dental Education Institutions

Public services Providing public dental services

Outreach services Providing visiting services to regional or remote communities

Other grants Funding through other Commonwealth, State or Territory government grants has been received for the project

Location catchment Town location and surrounding area that will receive the dental service

Remoteness Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Australian Standard Geographical Classification –Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) classification of location

A standard set of criteria will be used to assess applications. Applications will be carefully considered against each criterion and assigned a score. The relative importance of each criterion is signified by the weighting assigned to it. Other factors may be considered in assessing applications, such as: stakeholder advice and other local issues. Applicants should provide all relevant information on the application form in the attached appendices. .

The following assessment criteria will be used to assess each application:

1. Mandatory Eligibility Criteria (see table below)

2. Dental Location Need Criteria. (see table below)

3. Service Model Criteria. (see table below)

4. Business Case and Value for Money Criteria. (see table below)

5. Referee checks. Referee checks will be undertaken for successful applicants.

The tables below outline the information that the Assessment Committee will take into consideration when assessing an application, and the weightings which will apply to each criterion.

MANDATORY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT WEIGHTING

1. Applicant is a dentist who holds current General Registration with the Dental Board of

Australia.

2. Applicant is a permanent resident or citizen of Australia.

3. Applicant will undertake private practice

2.

4. Applicant will provide predominantly general dental services.

5. Applicant is relocating to a location that is more regional or remote than the current

practice, based on the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness

Area (ASGC-RA).

6. The proposed relocation date is after 1 July 2013.

7. Application form is completed and required documentation is provided.

APPLICANTS MUST MEET ALL CRITERIA TO BE

ELIGIBLE

2 Applicants who intend to carry out both private and public practice are still eligible for DRISS

DENTAL LOCATION CRITERIA


The Assessment Committee will undertake a Dental Location Needs Assessment based on town location, postcode, State/Territory identified in the application.

Questions that will be considered during the assessment include:

What is the proposed practice location (address if available, town, State/Territory)?

What is the location catchment area the dentist proposes to service?

What is the population of the location catchment?

How many dentists already practice in the location catchment relative to the locations need?

Each location will be allocated a score as follows:

Criteria Lowest Score

Highest Score

Max

Score

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population of location (Deciles)

1st - 2

nd 3

rd - 4

th 5

th - 6

th 7

th - 8

th 9

th - 10

th

Score 2-4 6-8 10-12 14-16 18-20 20

SEIFA Index of Relative Disadvantage for location (Deciles)

8th -10

th 6

th -7

th 5

th

3

rd– 4

th

1

st -2

nd

Score 0 8 12 16 20 20

Percentage of Population aged 0-14 for location (Deciles)

1st or 2

nd

3rd or 4

th

5

th

6

th or 7

th

8th, 9

th

or 10th

Score 0 4 6 8 10 10

Percentage Population aged 65 and over for location (Deciles)

1st or 2

nd

3

rd

4

th

5

th

6

th or 7

th

Score 0 4 6 8 10 10

Remoteness of Location RA 1 RA2 RA3 RA4 RA 5

Score 0 5 10 15 20 20

Total Score 80.00

40%

SERVICE MODEL CRITERIA


Questions that will be considered during assessment include:

Will the Applicant be:

Mentoring and/or training dental students?

Providing any public sector dental services?

Outreach visiting services to rural or remote locations?

Receiving any other grants?

Providing dental services as part of a multi-disciplinary team?

Addressing an identified community need?

Each application will be allocated a score as follows:

Criteria Zero

Score Full

Score

Max

Score

Applicant will provide mentoring and/or Training Dental Students

No Yes

Score 0 10 10

Applicant will also provide public dental services

No Yes

Score 0 10 10

Applicant will provide outreach services to regional or remote locations

No Yes

Score 0 10 10

Applicant is not receiving other grants No Yes

Score 0 10 10

Applicant is providing dental services as part of a multi-disciplinary team

No Yes

Score 0 10 10

Applicant services meet identified community need (evidenced in the open-text statement)

No Yes

Score 0 20 20

Total Score

70.00

30%

BUSINESS CASE / VALUE FOR MONEY CRITERIA


Questions which will be considered during assessment include:

What are the objective(s) of the proposed infrastructure?

What are the expected benefits of the infrastructure?

Is the proposed infrastructure sustainable in the long-term? e.g. does it assist in the retention

of a dental workforce?

Will the infrastructure benefit the community?

Does the proposed infrastructure demonstrate value for money?

Have the internal and external stakeholders been identified? Is there any evidence of

stakeholder consultations?

Based on the statement or business case provided by the applicant, each application will be allocated a score determined by the extent to which the criteria below have been demonstrated:

Criteria Not

demonstrated Partially

demonstrated Fully

demonstrated

Maximum

score

Applicant has articulated the objectives of the infrastructure

0 5 10 10

Applicant has identified the benefits of the infrastructure

0 5 10 10

Applicant has shown that the infrastructure is sustainable in the long-term

0 5 10 10

Applicant has identified the benefit to the community

0 5 10 10

Applicant has demonstrated that the infrastructure represents value for money

0 5 10 10

Applicant has identified the internal and external stakeholders, including consultations where relevant

0 5 10 10

The outcomes, performance indicators, and timeframe for each key activity for the infrastructure have been identified

0 5 10 10

Applicant’s budget is fully costed and justified

0 5 10 10

Total Score 80.00

30%

Total 100%