Regional and rural Australia faces a severe shortage of GPs in what experts on the frontline of healthcare have dubbed a ‘dangerous state’.
An unprecedented decline in the supply of doctors has resulted in numerous towns and regional centers across the country without a single GP. It is not uncommon for one doctor to serve the needs of thousands of people.
That’s forcing people to seek help from regional hospital emergency departments, which are already overwhelmed by years of funding cuts, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and now the flu.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), Richard Colbran of the New South Wales (NSW) Rural GP Network in the country’s most populous state said: “The reality is there is no town in rural NSW that is not at risk. We need to be able to maintain viable primary care now. Every for every GP leaving the workforce, there must be three replacements to keep up with demand. After COVID-19, floods and bushfires, GPs have never known a time when the system was in such a precarious state. They are exhausted.”
Colbran said at least 600 rural family physician-practitioners who also work as doctors in local hospitals have left their jobs in the past 10 years. There are currently fewer than 200 GP procedure workers in rural NSW, but authorities believe that number could drop to less than 100 within a decade.
Dubbo, in central NSW, recently closed three of its twelve general practices. Local GP Dr Ai-Vee Chua told SMH: “I’ve been working in rural NSW for more than 20 years and the current shortage is the biggest it’s ever been, especially with population growth.”
Dr Chua said patients were forced to go to emergency departments because “they have no other option”.
In Kingaroy, south-east Queensland, there is such a shortage of GPs that waiting lists for local doctors are 8 weeks. There are only seven medical clinics in the city with more than ten thousand inhabitants, and new patients are not admitted to the practices.
Deloitte Access Economics’ recent report published this year, “The GP Workforce Report 2022”, found that the crisis will only progress as the demand for GP services from an aging and growing population is set to increase by 38 per cent by 2032.
The study found that on current trends, the supply of GPs would decrease by 15 per cent in urban areas and by 4 per cent overall, resulting in a shortage of 11,392 GPs in 2032. This would be equivalent to one in three of the GP workforce.
Lack of basic healthcare services puts both patients and staff at extreme risk. At Yass Hospital in southern NSW earlier this year, a shortage of doctors left a paramedic and a nurse running the hospital. 24 clinical staff associated with the hospital then wrote an open letter calling for urgent action on the staffing crisis and describing the situation as dangerous and unprecedented.
Rural health in Australia has been under-resourced for decades, with state and federal government funding cut by both the Liberals and Labor. For years, patients with acute, serious illnesses have needed to be airlifted to city hospitals by ambulance. People with chronic illnesses must travel to the city or larger regional centers for optimal care.
The resulting anger in rural communities was revealed in submissions to a NSW state parliamentary inquiry into regional, rural and remote health. This investigation was carried out in September 2020 after the number of preventable deaths in rural and regional hospitals highlighted the catastrophic state of health services in these areas.
The conditions highlighted in the report are repulsive both in terms of the shortage of GPs and the added and unbearable workload of those leaving. However, the latest findings from this presentation point to a future worsening crisis of GP shortages in rural NSW. Wellington NSW currently has a population of 10,000 but only one doctor working in the local hospital. In the next 5 to 10 years, at least 43 small communities in the state are at risk of losing family doctor services altogether.
Dr Zakaira Baig, chairman of the Royal Australian College of Family Physicians for South Australia and the Northern Territory, told NewsGP earlier this year that labor shortages were “becoming an Australia-wide problem”. Attracting young doctors and medical students to general practice remains the biggest challenge, Baig said, as they have lost interest in pursuing a career in the field.
“There are several reasons for this,” Baig said. These include “the wide disparity in pay between GPs and other specialists; if family doctors are recognized as specialists, family doctors are not paid the same rate. Young doctors are often in relationships, their partners have no job opportunities when they go to the country … so they don’t want to go to the country unless there are special incentives. [There are also] limited schooling options for the children of rural GPs. Many move to cities for this reason when their children grow up.
Many physicians choose to work in areas that are already well-served by existing physicians to avoid professional isolation and anticipated excessive workload.
A study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, released shortly before the pandemic began in late 2019, found that “on average, Australians living in rural and remote areas have shorter life expectancies, higher rates of disease and injury, and poorer access and use. health services compared to people living in big cities”.
The report concluded that poorer health outcomes in rural and peripheral areas may be due to a number of factors, including lifestyle differences and disadvantage in education and employment opportunities, but also included limited access to health services.
Funding for primary care has not increased for eight years. Patient discounts for GP services have been frozen by the Abbott Coalition government since 2014, after being introduced by the Gillard Labor government in 2013 as a “temporary” budget measure.
The result is that GPs have been forced to charge patients “split fees” to compensate for funding cuts, shifting the crisis onto the backs of the working class. Due to the rapidly rising cost of living due to inflation, many people are forced to forego health care because they cannot afford the costs, which have dire consequences for the health and well-being of ordinary people. This means that without treatment, preventable conditions become chronic or life-threatening.
Albania’s new Labor government pledged during the election campaign to inject very limited funding into health care. But within weeks of forming government, Labor has named health as one of the main areas for spending cuts, as the national debt built up over the past two years from handouts to big business is paid off by further gutting health. essential services.
There is no solution to the health care crisis, which is worsening on many fronts, from big business governments or the capitalist system. The task of the working class is to fight for an alternative.
The Socialist Equality Party is calling on workers to form rank-and-file committees independent of corporate unions in health care workplaces across the country, regional, rural and urban.
These committees must be formed to unite all health professionals in a common struggle for decent staff pay and conditions and quality and free public health care for all. This creates the need for an alternative socialist perspective that aims to restructure society to meet social needs rather than the profits of big business and banks.
How can we solve the shortage of doctors?
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- Increase interest in the field. See the article : Mayor Scott provides an update on the 9-1-1 Diversion Behavioral Health pilot program and plans for expansion.
- Create centers of excellence.
- Integrate environmental medicine with occupational health training and research programs.
- Increase funding for faculty development.
- Support residency and fellowship training.
Why do we have a shortage of doctors? America’s physician shortage has been driven by two major generational factors: The mass exodus of physicians: About 55 percent of all registered nurses are 50 or older, and 52 percent of the physician workforce is 55 or older and nearing retirement. .
How should we address the shortage of physicians in the future?
“Addressing the physician shortage requires a multifaceted solution that begins with educating and training enough physicians to meet America’s needs, and includes improving access to care, diversifying the physician workforce, and ensuring that our nation is prepared to address current and future public health crises.” …
Is it easy to become a GP in Australia?
Becoming a general practitioner (GP) in Australia requires years of formal training. Complete a relevant degree such as a Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine. Read also : Taylor Tannebaum, Tricia Whitaker on life as a female sports announcer. Entry is based on Year 12 results, passing the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and interview.
How many years does it take to become a GP in Australia? It takes 3-4 years to complete professional training to become a family doctor. The Australian College of Dermatologists Fellowship takes 4 years to complete. If you decide to subspecialize in a medical field, professional training can take about 8 years.
Is it hard being a GP?
I have close friends who are gps and they work part time and quite reasonable hours considering the salary. Sure, it’s hard work, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it isn’t for many. See the article : Health Memory System wins marketing awards | News, sports, work. Gp earns very high salary. If the workload is too great, they should be reduced to three or four days.
Is becoming a GP easy?
Thus, GPs as a group do a much better job of improving health outcomes and at lower costs compared to specialists. The reality is that general practice is a hugely rewarding, challenging and varied career and no two days are ever the same.
Why is it so hard to see a doctor now?
We are now long into the dangerous quagmire of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the debate about access to NHS consultations is still very much alive.
When should I seek emergency medical care for COVID-19? Difficulty breathing Persistent chest pain or pressure New confusion Inability to wake up or stay awake Pale, gray or blue skin, lips or nail beds depending on skin tone*This list is not all possible symptoms. If other symptoms are severe or concern you, see your doctor.
What is telemedicine given the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Telemedicine is the use of electronic information and telecommunications technology to obtain necessary health care while practicing social distancing. All you need is a phone or device with Internet access to continue your medical care while protecting yourself and your healthcare provider from COVID-19. Talk to your doctor to determine if telemedicine is right for your health needs.
Can I visit my doctor for other treatments if I have COVID-19?
If you have a doctor’s appointment that cannot be rescheduled, call your doctor’s office and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This helps the office protect itself and other patients.
What are the benefits of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Telehealth can have several benefits during a pandemic by expanding access to medical care, reducing staff and patient exposure to disease, keeping personal protective equipment scarce, and reducing patient demand on facilities.
