Belinda Hassan, Bauke Hovinga call on Steven Miles to deliver a bulk-billing GP to Mackay

In response to calls from Labor candidates for bulk-billing clinics in regional Queensland, Premier Steven Miles has pledged 38 clinics to the region with six landing in the Mackay-Whitsundays.

Premier Steven Miles visits the Eastbrooke Health Hub to announce six new bulk-billing clinics to the region. Pics Adam Head

After calls from two regional candidates, the Premier has promised to deliver 38 bulk-billing clinics to regional Queensland, with six coming to the Mackay-Whitsundays if Labor win the election.

Premier Steven Miles spoke at Eastbrooke Ambrose Family Medical about bulk-billing GP closures in Bowen, Moranbah and Ayr.

“I spoke recently with someone whose grandma lives in Bowen and they said she could no longer access a bulk billing GP,” Premier Miles said.

“She had to travel to another town.”

The Premier said the allocation of six clinics to the Mackay-Whitsunday clinics was determined by the low rates of bulk-billing.

“We want to make sure particularly regional Queensland has access to bulk-billing,” Mr Miles said.

“This election only Labor has a plan to fix bulk-billing in our state.”

Of 50 bulk-billing GPs pledged by Labor, six will be delivered to Mackay-Whitsunday. Pics Adam Head

Of the 38 clinics coming to regional Queensland 7 will be delivered to Outback communities with the Premier listing St George, Emerald and Winton as potential locations.

“We will now consult with those communities and existing GPs in those communities to make sure none of these steps affect their business models,” he said.

At the time of writing there has been no LNP commitment to bulk-billing.

Mackay LNP candidate Nigel Dalton and Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm have been contacted for comment.

While Labor have pledged a satellite hospital and six bulk-billing GPs to Mackay-Whitsunday during the election, Mr Miles avoided committing to building a redundancy to the region’s sole cardiac catheterisation lab which shut on October 8 for upgrades.

The closure came as the labs equipment reached the end of its 10 year life span and during the eight week closure patients, including those suffering a heart attack, will have to undergo transfer to either Townsville or Brisbane for treatment.

When asked if he would invest in building a hybrid cath lab in Mackay so patients won’t have to be flown to Townsville or Brisbane in the future Mr Miles did not commit and said the current closure was routinely.

“Its why we have a network of hospitals so that when equipment at one hospital needs a repair or maintenance we can provide car at another hospital,” he said.

Labor candidate Belinda Hassan was joined by her mother Dorothy Colby at her booth at the Mackay Showground. Photo: Fergus Gregg

The announcement of new bulk-billing clinics comes after Mackay Labor candidate Belinda Hassan and Whitsunday candidate Bauke Hovinga advocated for the delivery of a single clinic to the Mackay.

It’s understood the state will absorb the cost of setting up the clinics, with GPs able to occupy the space rent free as long as they bulk billed patients.

Kathryn Andrew, a disability support volunteer and president of the Special Needs and Group Support (SNAGS) committee, said Ms Hassan’s advocacy for bulk-billing was wonderful.

“I take a lot of people around to doctors and a lot of times they don’t want to go because they can’t afford it,” Ms Andrews said.

Ms Andrews has been nominated for the Mackay region citizen of the year award as well as the Lori Burgess Community Volunteer award for her work with SNAGS and the Endeavour Foundation. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Ms Andrews said she tries to take her clients to bulk billed practices but often has to resort to whatever GP is available, which can cost her clients “a lot of money”.

She also added she has personally struggled with waiting times and said she “can’t afford not to be up and about”.

“I can’t let down the people at SNAGS,” she said.

Northern Beaches resident and emergency doctor Bauke Hovinga said he wants to improve health literacy in the Whitsundays and said bringing more GPs to the region are a part of that.

Whitsunday Labor candidate Bauke Hovinga said a bulk-billing clinic in Mackay would ease pressure on the hospital system.

When asked if he planned to advocate for a bulk-billing clinic in Proserpine Mr Hovinga said people in Proserpine and the Whitsunday region felt neglected.

“I want to tell them they’re not,” Dr Hovinga said.

“I will very much be advocating for accessible health care for them as well.
“If that means I have to advocate for a bulk-billing GP there, I certainly will.”

When asked how she would bring more healthcare workers to Mackay Ms Hassan pointed to Labor’s $40,000 incentives for junior doctors to become GPs and also said relocation benefits, accommodation assistance and study support were being assessed by Labor.

“This GP bulk-billing clinic is just another layer of support from the government,” she said.

With $365m pledged for 50 clinics, each clinic would receive roughly $7m each.

When asked if Ms Hassan believed $7m was enough money to deliver a clinic to the region Ms Hassan said the policy had been costed.

“We’re not just throwing figures out there,” Ms Hassan said.

“The treasury have done they’re calculations … we have made the right choice and have definitely costed all these commitments.”

Ms Andrew said she doesn’t know much about LNP healthcare policies.

“I do remember the days earlier when the LNP was in,” she said.

“I’m a bit nervous myself.”