GP week to focus on access for patients

June 15, 2008

The AMA (WA) today launched General Practice Week (June 15-21) to emphasise the role that GPs play in making sure that patients get access to the health care services they need.

Association President Prof Geoff Dobb said supporting GPs was a priority for the AMA as they were central to patient care.

"GPs are leading the way to better health," he said.

"The Federal and WA Governments must continue to recognise and retain GPs as leaders of the primary health care team."

Each year, the AMA highlights the importance of General Practice in our health care system. Right across the country, events are being held to promote GPs.

Prof Dobb said General Practice Week was very timely, with the Federal Government placing primary health care reform on the agenda.

"Any reform must be driven by high quality evidence," he said. "This ensures that patients are put first and foremost and to do that governments must support the primary care role of General Practice."

Prof Dobb said a major issue was the shortage of GPs, particularly in remote and regional areas of WA.

"Both State and Federal Government need to tackle this problem as a matter of urgency," he said.

Topics the AMA will highlight during General Practice Week include:

• Protecting GPs against violence;
• Encouraging more young doctors to take up General Practice;
• Using funding for GP Super Clinics to achieve better outcomes;
• Tackling chronic disease and delivering preventative health care;
• Cutting unnecessary red tape for doctors;
• Improving the use of general practice nurses; and -
• Promoting GP services to aged care facilities.

Prof Dobb said General Practice Week, previously known as Family Doctor Week, will focus public and government attention on how fundamental and vital GPs are in the health of the nation.

"Eighty per cent of Australians visit their GP at least once a year," he said. "In Australia, we are lucky enough to be able to spend more time with our local doctor than people in comparable countries.

"Inadequately indexing the MBS, cutting funding to pre-vocational GP training and task substitution are just some ways the Government is failing to support primary care."

General Practice Week runs from Sunday, 15 June to Saturday, 21 June.

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