Top End Medical Centre to no longer bulk bill

One of Darwin’s biggest providers of GP services has defended its decision to no longer bulk bill all of its clients.

ONE of Darwin’s biggest providers of GP services has defended its decision to no longer bulk bill all of its clients, saying the business was “heading for disaster” under the old system.

Under the change, many Top End Medical Centre patients will be left $20 out of pocket per appointment for consultations that were previously fully bulk billed for all.

On learning of the change, healthcare worker Hana Bartlett wrote to the clinic to express her “concerns and disappointment” with its decision, criticising it as “ill-conceived”.

“The Territory has one of (the) most medically disadvantaged populations in the country and is already struggling with an overburdened healthcare system,” she wrote.

“Further limiting access to free healthcare is only going to put more stress on our exhausted emergency departments.

“Your ill-conceived decision serves only to further disenfranchise the most vulnerable and financially disadvantaged in our population.

“While I am personally fortunate enough to be able to afford medical fees, I will on principle no longer (be) using your services.”

But in response, clinic general manager Aruna Liyanage said bulk billing would still be available for children under 16, seniors over 65 and veterans, disability and health care card holders.

Dr Liyanage said the clinic had “tried our best to give quality bulk billing services for the last 10 years” since opening in 2011.

He said 95 per cent of GPs at the service were independent contractors who ran their own practices and the bulk bill rebate had to cover doctors, nurses, admin staff, accountants, consumables and rent.

“All our rents (are) going up nearly 5 per cent every year,” he wrote.

“Also we have to compete with government and RDH to retain our nurses and admin staff.

“Government award rates are much higher than private award rates, however, in (the) last two years we had to increase their salaries comparable to government salary.

“Otherwise we will run out of staff and services and (the) Covid pandemic (has) given us more additional bills such as double cleaning, additional gloves, pandemic kits, hand sanitisers, additional staff to (meet) increased demand.”

Dr Liyanage said the service received no government funding and had been “heading for disaster”, leaving it with “no option other than moving to mixed billing”.

“You are free to talk to government to look into this matter and give us some grants, then we will be able to commence fully bulk billing again,” he said.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”

Top End Medical Centre has been contacted for comment.