The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President Dr Frank R Jones said the publishing of medical specialists’ income over the weekend highlights the discrepancy between general practitioners’ and other medical specialties’ pay.
‘Every year GPs treat 85 per cent of the Australian population and in 2015 that represented 140 million consultations, yet general practice expenditure accounts for only one third of total Medicare spending,’ Dr Jones said.
‘GPs are the specialists in primary healthcare – the specialists in generalism – yet since 2010 the vast majority of GPs’ income has remained stagnant.
‘It seems that, in general, procedural medicine continues to be viewed as more important than cognitive medicine.
‘The Federal Government and other stakeholders need to understand the demographic changes in population and individual health needs, which require a cultural and structural change to health provision.
It is vital the Government recognise the value GPs provide and ensure they are rewarded for the crucial services they deliver every day.’