Upper Hunter among highest suicide rates in NSW, with calls for increased GPs in region
Recent figures have indicated the Upper Hunter has the highest rate of suicide deaths across the greater Hunter and Newcastle area.
Newcastle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Newcastle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Drought, bushfires and most recently COVID-19 haven’t helped with the mental health of people across the Upper Hunter, but the rural region is also suffering from an “extreme deficiency” of general practitioners.
Recent figures from the Australia Institute of Health and Welfare have indicated the Upper Hunter has had the highest rate of suicide deaths across the greater Hunter and Newcastle area in the last five years, the seventh highest in the state.
30 deaths were recorded between 2015 and 2019, a rate of 20.4 per 100,000 people.
The Upper Hunter sitting above areas like Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens and Maitland.
Owner of three medical clinics in Muswellbrook, Denman and Merriwa, Dr. Noman Jawaad said he regularly sees patients for mental health issues but until they get more GPs in the region, those figures will continue to get worse.
“I am seeing patients for mental health more than a sore throat,” Dr. Jawaad said.
“Rurality in general is the highest risk of mental health and we have been hit bad with the drought and bushfires in last couple of years, there is farmers around here and the COVID-19 hasn’t helped, it has made the situation three times worse.
“On top of lack of services, the other big issue which has been going on for a while, in the Upper Hunter, the biggest being Muswellbrook, is extreme deficiencies of GPs.”
Suicide rates across the Hunter
Muswellbrook is currently not defined as a distribution priority area (DPA) which identifies areas across Australia where people don’t have enough access to doctors.
It allows international medical graduates to work in the areas of need.
Dr. Jawaad is heading a community push to have Upper Hunter towns like Muswellbrook reclassified to ensure more GPs can start working in the area.
“They reckon Muswellbrook is not in need, so all the doctors which were lined up to join my practice, they can’t work there,” he said.
“Muswellbrook is badly struck because it’s a big town, shift work doesn’t help, sleep and tiredness.
“Young people come to me depressed, in the early 20s on anti-depressants.”
He said increased numbers of GPs will lessen long wait times and ensure patients can immediately be referred for mental health issues.
“GPs remain the first point of contact but the lack of GPs in the area means patients can’t get to us,” Dr. Jawaad explained.
“When someone wants to talk to a GP, the wait is more than a month.
“The patients have to go down to Maitland and Newcastle to see a psychiatrist and follow-up times are still really long.
“We are relying on tele-health psychiatrists but they discharge patients without any contact to a GP, without any plan.”
The Upper Hunter doctor has written to Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt to advocate for change so more GPs can work in the Upper Hunter, but said so far there’s been no response.
The Newcastle News contacted the minister’s office with a statement saying that the past decade showed GP numbers in Australia have increased at triple the rate of the population, but unfortunately, the bulk of the growth has occurred in major capital cities and metropolitan areas.
“Improving the distribution of health professionals working in rural and remote areas is a complex and longstanding challenge,” it said.
“The Government is embracing this challenge and invested $1.2 billion in rural health initiatives and programs in this year’s Federal Budget.
“Practices in Muswellbrook can recruit unrestricted doctors, including Australian trained doctors, however they are unable to employ some restricted medical practitioners.”
Newcastle sale and auction results, week ending February 8
Newcastle recorded 15 property sales over a million dollars last week, the latest auction and sales results reveal.
‘Little purple patch’: Aussie SailGP crew dodge drama as storm looms
Record penalties, flying starts, close calls and cheeky moves - day one of the Sydney SailGP had it all and more. including one very happy Australian team.