The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) rejects findings outlined in the Grattan Institute report – Access all areas: new solutions for GP shortages in rural Australia – believing there are more effective and sustainable measures to ensure the rural primary healthcare workforce is adequately resourced.
The RACGP has always demanded equitable healthcare access for all Australians regardless of their location and is concerned that the model proposed by the Grattan Institute risks patient safety through the fragmentation of care.
Dr Liz Marles, RACGP President, said increasing the number of prescribers for any one patient is known to be associated with increased errors and adverse events.
“Existing workforce programs which involve the increased utilisation of practice nurses, allied health workers, and technology via the Telehealth model – with the GP acting as the coordinator of care – are on the cusp of reaching maturity and producing results for all Australian communities.
“It is this concept of integrated team based care, best reflected in the medical home model that will provide greater health benefits to all Australian patients,” said Dr Marles.
The RACGP stresses that expanding roles to include responsibilities traditionally outside of a health practitioner’s scope of practice requires considered attention before such roles are reformed.
Importantly, Australia is seeing a doubling of medical graduates that are now entering vocational GP training with an expectation of a positive impact on access to GP services across Australia.
Dr Marles said, the Grattan report is overly simplistic in its recommendations and is seeking to implement short term fixes at the expense of long term solutions.
“Increased infrastructure and supervision payments, combined with training opportunities that will deliver high quality services to rural and remote communities is supported by the RACGP,” said Dr Marles.
The RACGP will continue to advocate for general practitioners to remain at the centre of a coordinated approach, as detailed in the medical home model, to ensure accessible and high quality care is delivered to all Australian patients, regardless of location.