No change in distribution of doctors

THE federal government has signalled that the maldistribution of the medical workforce  will remain for several years.

THE federal government has signalled that the maldistribution of the medical workforce in Australia will remain for several years, leaving many communities reliant on overseas-trained doctors.

Despite workforce shortages that make some areas unable to recruit locally trained doctors, and warnings of over-servicing in major urban clinics, the government has not taken the opportunity to unveil any major reforms to better distribute doctors and other clinicians.

The government has increased student places and worked with the states on places for registrars and interns in the short term, but it has yet to make any significant changes as a result of reports prepared by Health Workforce Australia and, more recently, an independent consultant.

According to the budget papers, the number of doctors given incentives to relocate to rural or remote areas will remain static in the future, even as the number of overseas-trained doctors recruited to service so-called "areas of need" increases.

The government has promised $33.8 million next financial year for the General Practice Rural Incentives Program, but that funding will come from cuts to other areas, including $20m from Health Workforce Australia.

Funding for the Rural Women's GP program has been extended for another year but from July 1, 2015, it will be absorbed by the Rural Health Outreach Fund. The number of rural locations to be serviced by the fund will only increase from 135 this year to 150 in 2016-2017, albeit with double the number of patient contacts through that period.

The government will also "prioritise" funding under the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program, focusing more on very remote communities or those with significant indigenous populations, in an effort to cut $5m every year.