The body that represents over 90% of Australia’s GPs and fights for the interests of their patients, says its new, high profile office in the heart of Brisbane’s city centre will help doctors advocate for better preventative health care services for Queenslanders.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Queensland Chair Dr Edwin Kruys said, “over 85% of Australians visit their GP for preventative healthcare every year.
“The care they receive saves taxpayers and patients up to 10 times the cost of similar care in a hospital.
“Raising the profile of preventative healthcare has helped GPs and the community put pressure on the government to end the Medicare rebate freeze, review the Medicare Benefits Scheme and improve the quality and reduce the cost of after-hours services.
“We’re hoping the end of the big freeze signals a government shift towards preventative healthcare and building a world class health system.
“The relocation of the RACGP’s Brisbane office to a high profile, central location at College House in Queen Street reinforces our position as the peak body for general practice and the voice of GPs and their patients in Queensland.
“The relocation helps us build an even closer relationship with key stakeholders located in the CBD, like the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, who are based in the same building.
“It also follows the opening of the RACGPs first ever office in Canberra earlier this year to help raise the levels of health literacy in the media and amongst political decision makers.
“We need to focus these decision makers on maintaining health. We need to focus everyone on prevention. And that has to happen in local communities with GPs, not in hospitals.”
For more information about preventative healthcare and RACGP Queensland please visit www.racgp.org.au