By Australia’s general practitioners (GPs) have largely welcomed the healthcare pledges announced by the Greens last week. While there is general approval for many of the policies, there are still some reservations within the medical community regarding certain aspects of the plan.
Greens’ Proposals: Expanding Access and Improving GP Training
Adam Bandt, leader of the Greens, laid out a series of healthcare policies aimed at expanding access to primary care. These include:
- Expanding bulk billing incentives.
- Ensuring equal pay for GPs in training.
- Adding dental care to Medicare.
- Opening 1,000 new healthcare clinics across the country.
Local GP Bernard Shiu expressed that while most of these initiatives are positive, there are areas of concern. “I would say about 90% of what they are suggesting is actually very good,” Dr. Shiu remarked. However, certain parts of the plan may not be as effective as envisioned, especially the idea of creating new clinics.
Bulk Billing Incentives and Rebates: A Welcome Shift
Last year, the federal government tripled bulk billing incentive payments, but only for concession card holders and children under 16. The Greens’ proposal to extend these incentives to everyone has been met with support from healthcare professionals like Dr. Shiu.
He emphasized the significant impact this could have on community health. Extending bulk billing to all patients and increasing rebates for longer consultations could reduce the need for multiple visits. “At the moment, we are incentivising both doctors and patients to have short consults,” said Dr. Shiu. “For working mums and dads, they have to take another half-day off work to see us when their issues could have been resolved in one consultation.”
This sentiment is widely shared among GPs who have long advocated for better support in providing more comprehensive consultations.
Pay Gap for GP Trainees: Addressing a Critical Issue
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has also welcomed the Greens’ plan, particularly the proposal to address the pay gap for GPs in training. Dr. Nicole Higgins, president of the RACGP, underscored the importance of this policy.
“A strong GP workforce is essential for a healthy Australia, but we know too many young doctors are put off from specialising in general practice due to the pay gap when they leave hospital training,” Dr. Higgins said. Addressing this pay disparity could attract more doctors to general practice, strengthening the workforce and ensuring better care for Australians.
Concerns Over New Clinics: Is the Investment Worth It?
Despite the generally positive response, not all of the Greens’ proposals have been warmly received. Dr. Shiu expressed skepticism about the plan to create 1,000 new GP clinics across the country. According to him, this approach is neither realistic nor cost-effective.
“There’s no way you can have six more clinics in every single electorate; you just don’t have the workforce for it, for one,” Dr. Shiu explained. He argued that the funding allocated for these clinics would be better spent improving existing services and investing in Medicare. Expanding current clinics and supporting existing GPs would provide more immediate and effective relief to an already strained system.
What GPs Want: Better Support for Existing Services
The overall sentiment among GPs like Dr. Shiu is that the Greens’ policies are mostly on the right track. However, they would prefer to see a shift in funding priorities. Rather than investing in new clinics, many argue that improving Medicare and the infrastructure already in place would yield better results for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
The healthcare system, already stretched thin, could benefit from strengthening what is already there. Ensuring that patients have access to affordable, timely, and high-quality care remains the ultimate goal.