Doctors paid $40K to plug major holes won’t have to stay in Qld

The state government has been accused of offering ‘false hope’ to Queensland communities desperate for specialist doctors.

GP obstetricians being trained in the bush under a state government incentive payment scheme will not be required to stay in Queensland once their training has finished.

The $40,000 incentive for up to 50 GPs who undertake a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in obstetrics or anaesthetics is designed to get doctors into areas where maternity health is in crisis.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

But Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the scheme, announced by Health Minister Shannon Fentiman in August as a solution to the obstetric workforce crisis, offered false hope to regional communities.

“This is another example of Labor and Shannon Fentiman failing to follow through on an announcement,” Ms Bates said.  

“Announcements won’t fix the Queensland maternity crisis and won’t help families forced to travel across Queensland to give birth safely.  

“Shannon Fentiman needs to explain when maternity services that have been closed or bypassed on Labor’s watch will finally reopen, including Biloela, Chinchilla,

Cooktown and Weipa,” she said.

“Making false promises only leads to more anguish and anxiety in communities where women can’t birth.”

When first announcing the scheme, Ms Fentiman said doctors who complete their training in regional areas were more likely to remain in that area once they are qualified.

But payments to locum GP obstetricians are much higher interstate and Queensland Health says a requirement forcing doctors to work in particular locations long-term would put off applicants.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. Picture: Richard Walker

Queensland Health acknowledges that staffing maternity units continues to pose a problem but the challenges are not limited to Queensland.

“Returning a safe maternity service depends on the availability of highly qualified maternity staff, including those trained in obstetrics and anaesthetics and despite our government offering attractive incentives and paid training, unfortunately these specialist doctors and nurses are in short supply across the country and the world,” a spokesman said.

The spokesman said that participants in the diploma training courses who already live in regional and rural locations were being prioritised as they are more likely to remain in their home region.

He said the first cohort of 13 trainees will begin their diplomas next month.

The government is also looking for ways to attract more young Queenslanders into health care.

A $1 million youth recruitment campaign, #GoHealth, will promote careers in the public health sector for Queenslanders aged 15-18 and their parents through social media channels, including TikTok and Instagram, as well as traditional media.

Young Queenslanders will also be able to access free TAFE for 13 health courses from this year, including a Diploma of Nursing.