September so far has been a busy month of advocacy.
Yesterday, some of my colleagues and I visited Parliament House, Canberra to run our Health Checks @ Parliament event. This event was a great opportunity to meet with members of parliament, to check in on their health and remind them why it’s so important to see a regular GP. We also took the opportunity to remind our parliament of the importance of initiatives to grow and sustain the GP workforce in NSW; the risks to patient safety, associated with the expansion of programs that remove GPs from the care of their patients; and the need to improve health communications infrastructure.
Early September saw the end of the payroll tax amnesty on independent general practitioners in NSW. Many practices received notification from the government that they might need to register for payroll tax. For many of our members, this has been a time of great distress and uncertainty. I would like to assure you all that I remain in regular contact with the Minister for Health, Ryan Park, on this matter and that I am continuing to press Revenue NSW to provide answers to the many questions that remain over liabilities and flow of funds There are a range of resources available to support you in communicating with patients about the tax impost. I urge you to make direct contact with Revenue NSW if you have further questions about the information they have released so far.
I have also been pushing to address the negative portrayal of general practice in the government’s social media of late and I am working hard to remind Premier Chris Minns that improved access to quality primary care for all Australians far outweighs the faux convenience of access to prescription medication without vital consultation with a GP.
Ahead of the upcoming election in the ACT, I have been making sure GP voices are heard. I have written to a number of key politicians in the ACT, asking the next ACT government to commit to exempting GPs from payroll tax; introducing a GP Training Incentive payment on par with that of QLD, VIC, and TAS; and to undertake a thorough evaluation of nurse-led walk-in centres. Our asks have received significant positive feedback, including a commitment from Independents for Canberra to abolish payroll tax liabilities on independently contracted GPs should they win.
Looking ahead, I am very much looking forward to lots of opportunities to network with members over the next few weeks . On 16 October I will be hosting the annual NSW&ACT Faculty Member Meeting. This hybrid event will be an opportunity to catch up, celebrate our award winners, and hear from inspirational colleagues. I would love to see as many of you as possible, register to attend in person or online now. I’m also looking forward to our member meet ups in Canberra on 9 October, and Dubbo on 19 October.
Dr Rebekah Hoffman
RACGP NSW&ACT Chair