[Brad Lockyer]

The looming shortage of general practitioners (GPs) has been described by health minister Mark Butler as “frankly terrifying”.

“I’ve said that general practice is in the most parlous state I think it’s been in the 40-year history of Medicare,” Mr Butler told reporters at Parliament House.

“I’ve said on a number of occasions publicly that the fact that only about 15 per cent of young medical graduates are choosing a career in general practice is, frankly, terrifying.”

He said the task of turning the situation around was a massive one and admitted growing GP numbers again would be difficult.

There has been a wave of resignations and retirements from GPs over the past two years after the COVID pandemic and ongoing frustration around the way the Medicare rebate for GPs is structured.

How do you think we can attract more GPs to the profession?

[Sue Ridge]

This problem is felt more in regional Australia than cities although there are problems in the cities as well. Some regions have no GP’s whilst other GP’s have closed their books and are not taking on new patients. A major problem appears to be that trainee GP’s can earn $15,000 less than hospital trained doctors. This is an area that can be remedied quickly by putting all trainee doctors on a similar salary. There should be other incentives to attract GP’s to regional areas such as subsidised housing, cheap loans or grants to set up a practice, waiving HECS and a tax-free period whilst establishing in a regional area with a bonus for staying 3 years.

[KSS]

“There should be other incentives to attract GP’s to regional areas such as subsidised housing, cheap loans or grants to set up a practice, waiving HECS and a tax-free period whilst establishing in a regional area with a bonus for staying 3 years.”

There are already such initiatives in place from many small country towns and they still can’t attract GPs. Sadly the issue is far more mercenary than medical students care to admit.

GPs are a specialty, just like cardiologists, endocrinologists, osteopaths etc. However, the difference is GPs work directly with the community, they have their ‘surgery’ where their patients live and they are expected to charge patients the medicare rebate rate. The other specialists work largely outside the medicare rebate system and therefore are not confined to limits on how much they can ‘earn’ or charge for their services. People complain about making a small co-payment to a GP, yet will pay hundreds of dollars to see a ‘Specialist”. It is this inequity that is stopping students from applying for GP training. Why would anyone want to be on the front line with all that entails and the risks involves when they can work less for more money doing something in another branch of medicine.

People forget that GPs are self-employed small businesses and have to carry all the usual business costs of any small business but with far greater personal risk to themselves through possible malpractice suits. Yes, other specialists are also small businesses but with far higher income and cash flow. The difference if you will between David Jones and Big W. For the same training would you rather be in David Jones (Turak, Mosman, Sydney’s Eastern suburbs) or Big W/Best and Less (Wilcania, Rural Australia or anywhere without avocado on toast and late on tap)? Most of us have David Jones aspirations but Big W budgets!

[David Ryder]

GP’s need to be given greater credit for their skills and training rather than being seen as “Oh you’re only a GP”. Many organisations such as insurance companies and Centrelink will not accept medical evidence from a GP. They insist on having specialists reports when assessing claims which is a load of bulldust intended to slow things down and make it as difficult as possible for claimants. It often means regional residents have to travel very long distances to have a specialist diagnose the same thing as what their GP already has. And that is only after they wait months for an appointment. The system is rigged, specialists are usually the financial beneficiaries being paid double what the GP is for the same result.

[Author]

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