The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is urging Victorian politicians to put healthcare first in the state election and deliver reforms to improve access to GP services.
It comes after access to healthcare was rated as a top concern that voters want addressed by politicians at the November election, according to polling by The Age.
The RACGP is calling for a number of reforms in Victoria to improve patient health outcomes, including:
- the next State Government developing a long-term plan with the Federal Government to ensure patients do not fall through the cracks, by supporting access to GPs across the state, with enough GPs in every community and every postcode
- state funding for grants and programs supporting GPs to relocate to rural and remote communities
- funding for an extended GP consultation for people transitioning from hospital to the community to improve health outcomes and reduce readmissions
- support GP mental health and wellbeing by repealing healthcare practitioner mandatory reporting laws, which discourages doctors from seeking help and adds to burnout.
RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Munoz called for all political candidates and parties to put the health of Victorians first.
“General practice provides the vast majority of healthcare services in Victoria – it’s time for the state government to take action to ensure GP patient services are sustainable and accessible for everyone in our state,” she said
“Victorians are finding it harder and harder to access a GP, practices are being forced to close, and bulk billing is declining because Medicare patient rebates are far too low and don’t come close to covering the cost of providing high-quality care across our state.
“For too long general practice services have been seen as only a federal issue because the Federal Government has been responsible for funding Medicare, whereas the states fund hospital services.
“But this division has led to cost shifting, blame shifting, waste and ultimately the health system crisis we’re now facing. For decades successive governments have stripped funding from general practice patients, and it’s having a very real impact on the health and wellbeing of Victorians who can’t access the care they need when they need it.
“We urgently need to re-think healthcare funding in Victoria, and pivot to preventing illness and keeping people well in the community.
“The next State Government can make a real difference by working with the Federal Government to develop a long-term plan to ensure general practice is funded and supported to improve access to care for all Victorians, and ensure we have enough GPs in every community.
“The state can also help address the GP shortage in rural Victoria by funding grants and programs to encourage doctors to train, work and live in rural and remote communities.
“Our members have told us that one of the key barriers for GPs interested in going rural is the lack of support to make the move, find a new home, schools, work opportunities for partners, and develop any new skills they may need.
“There are existing programs the state could support, including Avenues to Rural and the RACGP’s Practice to Practice program, which are designed to support GPs to move to rural communities and address workforce gaps.”
The RACGP Victoria Chair said the state could also support preventative care for Victorians, and measures to keep people well and in the community.
“GPs are unique in the health system because we don’t just care for people when they are sick, we provide comprehensive, whole-person care and preventative care, which keeps people healthy and out of hospital – and saves the health budget overall,” she said.
“Unfortunately, patients can’t always access these services when they need them, because there is a lack of funding. We know it really matters when people are making the transition from hospital to the community, without the right support they end up back in hospital with issues that could and should have been dealt with by a GP.
“This is why we want to see state funding for an extended GP consultation for people transitioning from hospital to the community. This would improve health outcomes and reduce hospital readmissions, as well as healthcare costs.
“Lastly, GPs in Victoria have been under immense pressure these past few years. We’ve been seeing more patients than ever and are still dealing with the fallout of the pandemic, including the backlog of care from patients who delayed consultations and screening during lockdown which has led to worsening illness and delayed diagnosis.
“Our state’s population is ageing, and we are seeing more and more chronic conditions, mental health concerns, and patients requiring complex care that requires more time and follow up.
“It’s little wonder that three in four GPs reported feelings of burnout over the past year, in the RACGP’s Health of the Nation survey.
“More than ever GPs need support for their own mental health and wellbeing, and this is why we are also calling for the next state government to repeal healthcare practitioner mandatory reporting laws, which discourage doctors from seeking help for their mental health when they need it.
“Doctors are people too and there should be no shame or barriers in the way of us seeking help when we need it. This is essential to ensure we can keep doing the job we want to do in caring for people in communities across the state.”
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