Page 1330 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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We do need to continue to look at why we have a GP shortage. It does seem somewhat anomalous that the ACT, being such a wonderful place in which to live and having such a highly educated population, would struggle to attract and indeed to keep GPs over a period of time. We are very hopeful that, by referring this to the committee, we can see some outcomes and solutions.
We cannot have the situation where we once again blame external factors—that is, the commonwealth. We know that the commonwealth plays a major role but, having said that, this is one of the modern realities of politics, and something that many federal, state and local politicians would have found. Simply saying that it is the commonwealth’s responsibility or the commonwealth saying that it is the state’s responsibility does not get it done. In fact, one of the core messages of Mr Rudd prior to being elected was ending the blame game.
Locally, there are things we can do, and there are significant things we can do. We can assist GPs to locate here, we can keep our graduates here, we can look at ways that we support local practices. There are a whole range of measures that need to be looked at. As I say, none of them are going to be easy in the sense that we have doctors who are offered big money, but in some ways they are two separate but intertwined issues—the issue of GPs moving from smaller clinics to larger clinics and the broader issue of the number of GPs that we have.
It is important that we have a good geographic spread. One of the key things we talked about last year in our policies in particular is to ensure that west Belconnen, which is so underserviced, is serviced, particularly after hours, and to ensure that south Tuggeranong and Gungahlin are properly serviced. The geographic issues are important, but the broader issue of why the ACT has such a low number of GPs is important and needs to be looked at in a separate way. I imagine that some of the solutions will come up against each other.
There are things that can be done. Yes, incentives can be given for people to stay or to set up practice. There can be support for things like the west Belconnen clinic; we can look at setting up specific clinics, particularly after hours. One of the significant issues we have in our emergency department is people presenting to emergency who really just need to see a GP. That is one of the clear messages we have received from the community, and that is most apparent in our outer suburbs.
Members interjecting—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne): Order, members! There is too much conversation.
MR SESELJA: I think that west Belconnen is the most stark example of a part of the community that is underserviced by GPs. We saw that with the recent closure in Kippax. West Belconnen has been dealt a very poor deal, I think, in terms of its access to GPs. We also have significant numbers of disadvantaged Canberrans living in parts of west Belconnen. All of those things coming together mean that there are some urgent decisions that need to be made by the ACT government. They need to not only work with the federal government to address these matters—
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