Calls for increases in Medicare rebate as clinics in rural and regional Tasmania lose GPs

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia is calling for an increase in the Medicare rebate in order to retain doctors in regional Tasmanian areas. LATEST HERE >>

• 80% by November: Premier’s state vaccination goal
• Two Tasmanian women fined for breaching Stay at Home order

An increase is needed to the Medicare rebate in order to retain doctors in rural and regional areas, according to the Rural Doctors Association of Australia.

President of the RDAA Dr John Hall said the struggle to retain regional and rural doctors was not a new problem.

“This has been a challenge for a long time, we’ve had issues getting doctors to rural and regional Australia for the best part of 20 years,” Dr Hall said.

Dr Hall said there were a number of ways to address the problem, but said one big one was pay – specifically Medicare.

“There’s been a long time freeze on the medical rebate,” Dr Hall said.

“A lot of doctors would argue they’ve been set too low in the first place, it often doesn’t cover the cost of the service.”

Dr John Hall is president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia. Pic: supplied

The comments come after two doctors resigned from a medical centre in Bridgewater last week, with two others resigning from a practice at Brighton just weeks earlier.

Dr Hall said medical centres could maintain viability by charging higher gap fees, but many patients in rural areas would struggle to afford it.

“We have pockets of disadvantage, geographically defined and it’s a real blight on Australian governments,” Dr Hall said.

“It seems that politicians and the community are numb to this issue when it goes on every day.”

Dr Hall also said there were increased costs in running rural practices.

“This is particularly an issue for doctors that own and run their own practices,” he said.

Dr Hall also believed rural medicine needed to be recognised as a specialty.

“It’s not just about being paid more, remuneration is also linked to recognition of that specialty in its own right,” Dr Hall said.

“Rural doctors are often working in an environment where they’re isolated and there’s less backup.

“The rural doctors association has long lobbied for what we call a rural generalist training pathway.”

Federal Member for Bass Bridget Archer said the challenges of recruitment and retention had been raised by northern Tasmanian health professionals.

“From my discussions, the challenge faced by practices when it comes to the recruitment and retention of GPs does not singularly lie with the Medicare rebate but is the result of a number of complex issues including classification,” Ms Archer said.

Lib Stateconf Sunday

She said conversations were continuing to find a long-term solution.

“After many months of advocacy, I was able to secure additional funding late last year to address this very issue here in northern Tasmania, however understand that there is still much more work to be done,” Ms Archer said.

How do we incentivise doctors to stay rural?

There are calls for the state government to give doctors a greater incentive to stay in rural areas, after two doctors resigned from a medical centre in Bridgewater.

Greenpoint Medical Centre on Tuesday announced on its Facebook page Dr Georgina Choi and Dr Jonathan Brooke would be leaving the practice this month.

“It is with regret that we wish to inform you that two of our wonderful doctors will be leaving us to return home to the UK in late August,” the post read.

“In the interim while we search for new long term Doctors, we will be having locum doctors joining us.

“Unfortunately this means we currently cannot accept any new patients.”

“We understand and respect the current frustrations of healthcare at the moment.

“It is a very challenging time for everyone.”

The announcement come weeks after the resignation of two long serving GPs at the Brighton Doctors Surgery.

Creator of the Bridgewater Gagebrook social page Mark Bartlett said there needed to be more incentive for doctors to stay in regional areas like Brighton and Bridgewater.

“When you’ve got two doctors leaving, it leaves a dent,” Mr Bartlett said.

“This municipality has a lot of elderly people, what are they going to do?

“The staff at the Greenpoint Medical Centre are fantastic but something really needs to be done to give doctors a reason to stay here.”

Mr Bartlett said the community needed permanent doctors.

“A lot of people don’t like locum doctors because they rush you,” Mr Bartlett said.

“Full time doctors get to know you, they understand you.”

Mr Bartlett said the state government needed to intervene.

“Our message to Premier Peter Gutwein is do what’s needed for our municipality, give our doctors the pay they deserve and only then will they will stay,” Mr Bartlett said.

AMA spokeswoman and GP Annette Barratt said it’s hard to find GPs in general, but securing them in regional areas is even more challenging.

“Remuneration for GPs is low and it has fallen significantly behind the AMA recommended rate,” Dr Barratt said.

Dr Barratt said there was also less support in rural areas.

“The work is harder, you’re not as supported, you don’t have community health systems or a hospital down the road.”

“It’s harder for GPs families to find work in rural areas, so the disincentives are high.

“The pressure on the doctors to bulk bill or charge less is higher because a lot of community members have healthcare cards.”

Dr Barratt said change was needed.

“People need to be talking to the federal government to look at the way GPs are remunerated and treated if they want this to turn around,” she said.

Originally published as Calls for increases in Medicare rebate as clinics in rural and regional Tasmania lose GPs