About The Hunter Rural Division of General Practice
In 1992, Hunter Rural Division of General Practice was established as the first Division in Australia funded under the Demonstration Practice Grants Program.  It covered General Practitioners practicing in the following local government areas:

• Cessnock
• Murrurundi
• Maitland
• Dungog
• Gloucester
• Merriwa 
• Newcastle
• Lake Macquarie
• Muswellbrook
• Scone
• Port Stephens
• Singleton

Both urban and rural General Practitioners were covered by the Hunter Division of General practice.

As the development of the Division progressed, it became clear that the needs of General Practitioners practicing in rural and urban areas differed.  In 1993 it was agreed that the Hunter Division of General practice would be divided and would subsequently form Hunter Rural Division of General Practice and Hunter Urban Division of General Practice. Hunter Rural Division of General Practice were to represent rural General Practitioners in the local government areas of Cessnock, Dungog, Gloucester, Merriwa, Murrurundi, Muswellbrook, Scone, Singleton and part of Port Stephens local government areas; while Hunter Urban Division of General Practice were to represent their urban counterparts in Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle and part of Port Stephens local government areas.

Hunter Rural Division of General Practice covers an area of approximately 33000 square kilometres, containing a population of 200,000.  The area covered includes a diverse range of economic activity such as coal mining, agriculture, tourism and smelting.
 
The Hunter Rural Division of General Practice limited receives funding from the Australian Government under the Divisions of General Practice Program and covers an area in which approximately 178 GPs practice.  The head office is situated in East Maitland.

Administration
The Division is a company limited by guarantee.  The planning and oversight of its activities is the responsibility of a Board of Directors elected by the GP members of the Division.  Each GP member is assigned to one of three networks depending on the location of their practice.  Each network elects at least one of it's members as a member of the Division's Board.  The day to day management of the Division is the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer.

Post Codes
Except where indicated, the Division claims 100% of the populations for the postcodes listed;

2311, 2312, 2315, 2316, 2317, 2320(5%), 2321(15%), 2324(22%), 2325(98%), 2326(95%), 2327, 2328, 2329, 2330, 2331, 2333, 2334(16%), 2335(49%), 2336, 2337, 2338, 2339, 2415, 2420, 2421, 2422, 2423, 2324, 2425, 2426, 2427, 2428, 2429(94%), 2430, 2443(22%).

Demography
According to the 2001 census, the area covered by the Hunter Rural Division has a population of 200,000.  The age profile of the population is as follows; Under 15 years 20.0% 15 to 64 years 70.0% over 64 10.0%.  The 2001 census also indicated that the ATSI population in the Division area was approx. 6000 (3%).  In terms of the Commonwealth's Rural and Remote Area Classification scheme, 32.5% of the population covered by the Division live in areas classified as 'other metropolitan', 53.8% live in areas classified as 'small rural centres' and 13.6% live in areas classified as 'other rural'.

Membership
The Articles of Association permit 2 classes of members; primary and associate.  Primary members have full membership rights including the right to attend and vote at general meetings.  Primary members must be a GP practicing or living within the Division's boundaries or have a special interest in the Division and its aims and objectives.  Associate membership is open to any person who wishes to support the aims and objectives of the Division.

Related Issues
The following public hospitals are located within the Division's boundaries: Bulahdelah, Merriwa District, Manning Base, Cessnock District, Wilson Memorial, Wingham Memoria,l Denman, Muswellbrook District, Singleton District, Dungog and District, Nelson Bay Polyclinic, Kurri Kurri District Soldiers Memoria, Scott Memorial, Scone.

Services Provided By The Division
The Hunter Rural Division of General Practice is currently implementing and initiating multiple programs to benefit General Practice and the community.

The focus of these programs include: Immunisation, Access to Allied Health Services, Chronic Disease management (Diabetes, Mental Health), GP Health and Education, Practice Support, Recruitment and Retention, Quality Use in Medicines and Information Management and Technology.