GP supply must keep pace with need
June 16, 2008
As part of General Practice Week, the AMA (WA) again called on
the Federal Government to help encourage new medical school graduates
to choose to become a GP in WA.
AMA (WA) President, Prof Geoff Dobb, said the Rudd Government
must make general practice training a priority.
"If the Government truly wants to strengthen primary care in Western
Australia, it needs to help increase the number of doctors choosing
general practice as a career," Prof Dobb said.
Although the number of GPs increased by 4.2 per cent between 2001
and 2005 nation-wide, it has had little effect due to population
growth.
"The supply of GPs must keep pace with Australia's population
growth and increasing health needs."
Prof Dobb said GPs were let down by the recent Federal Budget – with
many expecting a well-funded strategy on expanding training opportunities
for medical students, pre-vocational doctors and GP registrars
in existing medical practices.
"But the Rudd Government ended up even cutting back the prevocational
general practice program which enables young doctors to get a taste
of being a GP. It also assists by providing GP workforce."
AMA (WA) is calling on the Government to use some of the $275
million set aside for the rollout of GP Super Clinics to go into
existing practices to open up more GP training opportunities.
"Patients know and trust their GPs to provide them with holistic
care and advice. Communities value their GPs and do not want to
lose them," he said.
"We also need to encourage more graduates in to rural general
practice and push the Government to invest more in infrastructure
and facilities.
"The Government must recognise that GPs incur costs when training
and supervising medical students and junior doctors," he said.
Medical graduate numbers will more than double by 2012, but AIHW
data indicates that not enough graduates were choosing general
practice to meet demand.
"We must act now to make general practice a more attractive career
choice for our future doctors," Prof Dobb said.
General Practice Week (15-21 June) highlights the importance of
general practice in our healthcare system and shows that GPs are
leading the way to better health.
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