ACT Greens Member for Brindabella, Johnathan Davis MLA will call on the ACT Government to improve access to bulk billing General Practice (GP) services and support greater access to transparent, centralised information.
“If you’re crook, you need to see a doctor. But the rising cost of living means more Canberrans are being forced to make the choice between paying bills, putting food on the table, and seeing the GP,” Mr Davis said.
“What makes this situation even worse, is that the ACT has the lowest rate of bulk billing GPs in the country. When more Canberrans find it harder to see a GP, pressure falls on other parts of our healthcare system – like nurse-led Walk-In Centres and Emergency Rooms.
“Canberrans deserve access to timely, accurate and useful information about healthcare services to help them make better and more informed healthcare decisions.
“Websites such as Health Direct, Hot Doc and Cleanbill provide a variety of information for consumers related to GP services such as clinic locations, opening hours, availability, pricing and willingness to bulk bill.
“Cost should never be a barrier to seeing a doctor in the ACT.
“It’s important that the ACT Government support Canberrans to make informed healthcare decisions, including by promoting transparent information sources like these services, while also working with Canberra’s GPs and the Federal Government to increase the rates of bulk billing in the ACT,” Mr Davis concluded.
The motion, to be debated in the Assembly this Thursday 29 June, calls on the ACT Government to:
1. Continue working with the Federal Government to improve access to bulk billing General Practice services in the ACT;
2. Explore the value of services, including but not limited to Health Direct, Cleanbill and Hot Doc, that provide varying degrees of centralised and transparent information about healthcare services, including by raising these services with Health Ministers from other States and Territories;
3. Consider ways to:
a. Promote the use of these services;
b. Increase healthcare consumer use of these services;
c. Increase General Practice clinic participation in these services; and
4. Report back to the Assembly by the last sitting week in February 2024.
