The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is pleased that the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has taken a stance on addressing ongoing rural workforce issues. The AMA’s recently released position statement on regional/rural workforce initiatives calls for a coordinated plan from the Australian Government to address the workforce supply issues that have plagued rural health for years.
Dr Kathy Kirkpatrick, Chair of the RACGP National Rural Faculty and GP in Dalby, Queensland, said the AMA paper provided a sound response to the current general practice supply issues impacting regional, rural and remote Australia and is mostly in line with the College’s advocacy work in this area over many years.
“The availability of and access to health services in regional, rural, and remote communities is significantly less than in urban areas. Rural general practitioners (GPs) provide a vital clinical and coordinating role for health in these communities and need to continue to be recognised, encouraged and better funded.
“We all know the decline of the rural medical workforce, which increases significantly with greater remoteness, has led to significant urban/rural health disparities. Given an ageing workforce and increased rates of chronic disease, regional and rural communities can expect a continued decline unless significant reform is undertaken.
“When analysing medical workforce need, it is necessary to move from pure doctor headcount to consideration of local need and community context. This is an essential component of rural health workforce reform together with ensuring the right mix of recruitment and retention incentives across the training continuum,” said Dr Kirkpatrick.
The College has long advocated for significant policy change in many of the priority areas put forward in the AMA paper, including in our recent submission to the Senate inquiry into the factors affecting the supply of health services and medical professionals in rural areas.
In our recent pre-budget submission, the College urged the Federal Government to provide more funding to enhance health outcomes for regional, rural, and remote communities, including the funding of procedural grants, infrastructure grants, recognition and support of international medical graduates (IMGs). The RACGP’s submission also focused on the next generation of rural GPs.
“Encouraging and providing financial and professional support for the next generation of rural health professionals is vital,” said Dr Kirkpatrick. “General practice must be attractive, appropriately remunerated and well supported with quality training, including a strong rural curriculum and increased clinical attachments.”
The RACGP National Rural Faculty will proudly mark 20 years of operation with official celebrations taking place in Canberra from 20-22 April.