Federal Labor promises to make Frankston a distribution priority area for doctors

Federal Labor is promising to make a change that will help struggling GP clinics in Melbourne’s neglected southeast.

Federal Labor is promising to make a change that will help struggling GP clinics in Melbourne’s neglected southeast.

Federal Labor is vowing to fix the GP shortage crisis in Frankston by making the region a priority area for doctors.

The classification would enable medical centres across the local government area to attract Australian and overseas trained doctors, who are offered perks to work in the regions.

The Herald Sun this month revealed that Frankston hospital was at risk of coming under more pressure, with one bulk-billing centre warning after-hours services were at risk of being cut if it was not given help to recruit staff.

Labor health spokesman Mark Butler. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler will on Wednesday promise to classify Frankston as a distribution priority area, if Labor is elected.

“There is a chronic and severe GP shortage in the Frankston catchment,” Mr Butler said.

“For too long the Morrison government has neglected calls for assistance from local GP clinics in the Frankston catchment, who have been experiencing significant difficulties finding and retaining doctors.”

A previous application to give the area priority status was not granted by a group of independent experts.

Although the group acknowledged there was increased patient demand, it ruled the metropolitan area was well serviced; had a higher than average number of GP services per capita and 16 additional full time doctors over the past five years.

Dunkley MP Peta Murphy, pictured receiving a vaccination.

But Dunkley MP Peta Murphy said the removal of Frankston’s workforce shortage status a few years ago had devastating impacts.

“Local communities have long known there is a GP crisis across the Frankston area, with wait time to see doctors ever increasing and pressure mounting on clinics,” she said.

A Senate inquiry into GP services last week heard evidence about the shortages plaguing outer-metropolitan medical centres.

Originally published as Federal Labor promises to make Frankston a distribution priority area for doctors