GPs continue to feel the sting of COVID-19 downturn

Patient numbers coming to GP clinics have plummeted with the Queensland’s peak medical body saying there will be serious consequences if the decline continues.

A high percentage of small to medium general medical practices will be forced to put off doctors and other staff if patient-in-clinic numbers continue to decline due to COVID-19.

Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) president Dr Dilip Dhupelia said the drop in general practice patient numbers was up to 40 per cent in some areas across Brisbane.

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Dr Dhupelia said while he could not confirm if clinics were losing doctors yet, it was the case that clinics were introducing strategies such as closing on Saturdays and could be moving staff between their practices to mitigate the COVID-19 impacts.

“It is happening because the thing people have to remember is most medical practices are small to medium size businesses and like any other small businesses they are feeling the affects of COVID-19”.

“Some have already considered laying off staff.”

Doctors across Brisbane are feeling the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 as patient in-clinic numbers continue to decline. Picture: iStock

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Dr Dhupelia said it was “clear people are avoiding or calling instead of visiting their GP for regular check-ups and this is having a concerning impact on the financial viability of practices”.

“But what is more concerning is the impact of patients not going to their GP with whom they have a longstanding relationships and what impact this could be having on their health,” he said.

“Not receiving treatment for chronic conditions could have serious consequences.”

He said allowing doctors to provide telehealth was a “very big step forward in making sure that patients received at least some care and the AMA had been strongly advocating for this but the strict regulations around the necessity to bulk bill is causing a strain on the income of practices”.

“If this continuing downturn lasts for a long time and it does seem it will last for a long time it is very feasible that practices will have to put off doctors and for every doctor that leaves there is a cascading effects on nursing staff and other staff that will be let off as well.

“It is very, very hard to recruit a good GP into a practice and to suddenly lose them … in 12-15 months time it will be a very serious situation”.

He said “we need to ensure medical practices are ready to emerge on the other side and that GPs can continue to deliver the high quality care we have been accustomed to”.

“We need support packages for small to medium size businesses and some will qualify for the support and we are giving advice to our members making sure they understand what is available,” he said.

He urged any struggling general practitioners to contact the AMA for support.

It comes as Family Doctors Plus director and GP Dr Maria Boulton said visits to her Windsor practice had dropped by 50 per cent amid the pandemic.

“We’re struggling like everybody else, with a difference that I think if people aren’t calling us, I’d hate to think what their health is doing,” she said.

“We don’t want any practices to close, that would be devastating for the community.”