Category: Human Resources

For specialists in private practice, time is one of your most valuable assets. Each hour spent on tasks outside your clinical expertise just isn’t cost effective.  

Recruitment is one of those areas that can seem simple on the surface, but it requires strategy, compliance knowledge, and a significant time investment. When you think, “I’ll just do it myself”, do you really know what you are getting yourself into? 

Hiring the right team member is more than placing a job ad and conducting a few interviews. You must know the correct award classifications, create an employment contract, conduct reference checks, meet privacy and discrimination requirements, and have a compliant induction process. 

A small oversight can lead to costly errors. 

Beyond compliance, effective recruitment requires experience in screening for the right personality fit for you and your team, understanding practice culture, and knowing what skills and behaviours will support the flow of a medical practice. You’ll also need to know how to test for the skills you require, which can be tricky as you may not have an intimate knowledge of your admin function, billing processes and software. 

Specialists who try to manage this themselves often find it distracting, overwhelming, and far more time-consuming than expected. A urologist recently expressed to us that “shortlisting and screening candidates is a full-time job. I should have cancelled my surgeries for a month haha! Never again will I try to do it myself.” 

Your time is far better used doing what only you can do: providing patient care, operating, and building relationships with referrers. Outsourcing recruitment allows you to stay focused on your patients while ensuring your practice has the right people in place to support long-term success and reduce headaches. 

At RWS, we specialise in recruitment for medical practices and can manage the entire process efficiently and professionally. If you’d like support with hiring the right team member, we’re here to help. 

If you need assistance with recruitment, contact us: admin@roomswithstyle.com.au or 1300 073 239

Social media definitely has a place in today’s marketing world, but it’s not the be-all and end-all, especially in healthcare.

We’ve worked with many doctors who’ve dabbled in social media, some with success, others facing challenges. If you’ve been considering launching a social media presence (or outsourcing it), here are some insights from our experience to help you decide if it’s the right path for you. 
 

Social Media Has Its Upsides 

There’s no doubt that a well-run social media account can offer benefits: 

• Online presence – having an accessible online profile helps both patients and referrers find you easily 
• Trust and personality – social media can make you appear more approachable and reputable. It gives a glimpse into your personality and practice style, helping patients feel more comfortable before they walk through the door. 
• SEO boost – regular, relevant posts can improve your searchability online. 
• Supplementary marketing – when done well, social media complements your other marketing efforts. It’s not your main strategy, but it can support it. 
   

But There Are Risks to Be Aware Of 

For all its potential, social media in the medical field comes with some very real challenges: 

• AHPRA regulations – we’ve had instances where doctors have run their own campaigns or used third-party services and found themselves in breach of AHPRA guidelines. These rules are strict, nuanced, and constantly evolving. It’s something we stay across regularly, but even then, it requires vigilance. 
• Time and consistency – we all know, doctors are busy, and often, marketing isn’t at the forefront of their minds. If you can’t post regularly and keep the content fresh, your account can quickly look neglected – we often say that’s worse than having no social media at all. 
• Not always the best return on investment – we often find that, in most medical specialties, direct marketing to referrers often delivers the strongest results. Social media can be a nice addition, but it’s rarely the main driver. 
• Reputation at stake – social media is public, and we always remind you of a digital footprint. If it’s not handled professionally and consistently, it can hurt more than help. We’ve seen this happen when campaigns are managed without proper strategy or understanding of the healthcare space. 
   

So, Should You Use Social Media? 

If you’re unsure, you’re not alone. The truth is, it depends on your specialty, your goals, and your capacity to do it right. And it’s absolutely fine to decide it’s not the right avenue for you. 

We’re happy to support you in your decision, whether that’s helping you manage a compliant and effective presence, or guiding you toward other marketing strategies that better suit your time and goals. 

Tread carefully, think it through, and reach out if you need advice – we’re here to help. 

Contact us: admin@roomswithstyle.com.au or 1300 073 239

Strategies for Building and Keeping a Skilled Practice

In private practice, attracting and retaining great staff is crucial to maintaining a high standard of patient care and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. We have listed below some effective strategies to help your practice stand out as an employer that builds a loyal, skilled well-functioning team, providing exceptional patient care to your patients. 

1. Offer Competitive Remuneration and Benefits 

To attract top candidates, ensure your staff’s salaries are in line with, or better than, market levels. Consider including additional benefits such as flexible working arrangements, WFH options, extra leave entitlements, parking on site and health and wellbeing initiatives. These perks can make your practice more appealing compared to competitors. 

2. Foster a Supportive and Inclusive Culture 

Create a welcoming and supportive work environment where staff feel valued and respected. Encourage open communication, promote feedback, and address concerns promptly. Performing Annual Appraisals are invaluable.  Promoting a culture of teamwork, recognition, and inclusivity can increase job satisfaction and reduce staff turnover. 

3. Provide Opportunities for Professional Development 

Investing in your staff’s growth shows that you value their contribution and are committed to their career progression. Offer opportunities for continuing education, training (RWS provides many different options of training that will benefit your staff and your practice), and upskilling. This not only helps retain staff but also benefits your practice through improved knowledge and expertise. 

4. Recognise and Reward Achievement 

Regularly acknowledging individual and team achievements boosts morale and motivation. Recognition can be as simple as a thank you note, or more formal such as awards or bonuses. Celebrating milestones and successes fosters a sense of loyalty among staff. 

6. Streamline Recruitment and Onboarding 

Ensure your recruitment process is efficient and welcoming. Provide clear job descriptions, communicate promptly with candidates, and offer a thorough onboarding program. A positive first impression can set the tone for a successful long-term working relationship. 

Conclusion 

By offering competitive benefits, fostering a positive culture, supporting professional development, and prioritising staff wellbeing, private medical practices can attract the best talent and retain valued and experienced team members. These efforts not only benefit your staff but also enhance the quality of care provided to your patients, ensuring the ongoing success of you and your practice.

If you’d like to discuss recruitment, contact us: admin@roomswithstyle.com.au or 1300 073 239

A common pitfall for private practices is when staff miss or stop submitting timesheets, particularly if they work set hours. This may seem harmless – after all, they are still working, and you are still paying them – however the risk to your practice is real. 

As a specialist in private practice, you are also an employer and thus have legal obligations under workforce law. The reality is that without accurate and complete payroll records for each of your staff – from your receptionists to your practice nurses – it is extremely difficult for you to be able to defend any claims of underpayment and other breaches.

Under Section 557C of the Fair Work Act, the burden of proof falls to you to disprove any allegations. 

You have a legal duty to keep payroll records for each employee for 7 years, including details about their pay, leave dates, superannuation and hours of work. Doing so is vital for ensuring your private practice is above board and compliant.  

So, when a staff member does not provide a timesheet, the practice has, by extension, neglected to meet their legal duty. 

Establishing clear, consistent timesheet processes is not just good practice management, but also essential protection for your practice, your staff and, ultimately, your professional reputation. 

If you need assistance with payroll or creating a payroll policy, contact us: admin@roomswithstyle.com.au or 1300 073 239

Navigating unpaid parental leave can be tricky when you are not familiar with the process.

Unpaid parental leave is available to eligible staff who have been with the practice for at least 12 months before the expected date of birth or adoption. Staff are entitled to up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave, with the option to extend for an additional 12 months if requested. 

There are, however, legal obligations for both the employer (you, the practice owner) and the employee in order to make the whole process as smooth and stress-free as possible. 

These include submitting documentation within the correct timeframes, maintaining accurate records, and keeping clear communication throughout the whole process, including any changes in circumstances in both the practice and your employee’s life.

Having a transparent policy with clear processes helps your practice remain compliant and makes sure all employees within the practice – from the admin staff to the nurses and the practice manager – are aware of both their rights and responsibilities.

During times of transition, the process may feel overwhelming; however, if all parties are on the same page, it will help ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities and support a healthy workplace environment within your practice.

If you need to know more about parental leave at your practice, we can navigate you through the process.

If you need assistance with reviewing or creating a parental leave policy, contact us: admin@roomswithstyle.com.au or 1300 073 239