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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2158 ..

Mr Wood: The answer to the member's questions is as follows:

(1) and (2) The study was completed in December 2001.

(3) The study consumed all the available funds.

(4) The study offers a number of options to provide a range of standards of enclosure for the pool and these have been assessed by officers of my Department. In response, a bid has been prepared for consideration for funding a project in the 2002-03 Capital Works Program.

General practitioners

(Question No 204)

Ms Dundas asked the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 4 June 2002:

In relation to access to General Practitioners across Canberra:

(1) How many General Practitioners (GPs) are currently practising in the ACT.

(2) What proportion of these GPs bulk bill patients on low incomes.

(3) Relative to the national average, does the ACT have a higher or lower number of GPs per thousand of population.

(4) Relative to the national average, does the ACT have a higher or lower proportion of GPs who bulk bill low income patients.

(5) Are there any GPs in the ACT that are refusing to take new patients.

(6) What proportion of outpatients at Calvary Hospital have presented due to lack of access to a private GP.

(7) What proportion of outpatients at Canberra Hospital have presented due to lack of access to a private GP.

(8) What strategies has the ACT Government implemented to increase the number of GPs in the ACT.

(9) What strategies has the ACT Government implemented to improve access to GPs for low income people.

Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member's question is:

Before answering the specific questions raised by the Member, it is worth noting the following in relation to the provision of GP services in the ACT:

Provision of general practitioner services is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government. My Government has raised the shortage of GPs in the ACT with the Commonwealth and is seeking their assistance.

The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has responded by saying that it does not consider that there is a shortage of GPs in the ACT and that they are unable to help attract more doctors to the Territory.

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