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GP supply must keep pace with need
16 Jun 08
As part of General Practice Week, AMA Victoria again called on the Federal Government to help encourage new medical school graduates to choose to become a GP in Victoria.
AMA Victoria Vice President, Dr Harry Hemley said the Rudd Government must make general practice training a priority.
“If the Government truly wants to strengthen primary care in Victoria, it needs to help increase the number of doctors choosing general practice as a career,” he said.
Although the number of GPs increased by 4.2 per cent between 2001 and 2005, it has had little effect due to population growth.
“The supply of GPs must keep pace with Australia’s population growth and increasing health needs.”
Dr Hemley said GPs were let down by the recent Federal Budget – with many expecting a well-funded strategy on expanding training opportunities for medical students, pre-vocational doctors and GP registrars in existing medical practices.
“But the Rudd Government ended up even cutting back the prevocational general practice program which enables young doctors to get a taste of being a GP.
“We also need to encourage more graduates in to rural general practice and push the Government to invest more in infrastructure and facilities.
“The Government must recognise that GPs incur costs when training and supervising medical students and junior doctors,” he said.
Medical graduate numbers will more than double by 2012, but AIHW data indicates that not enough graduates were choosing general practice to meet demand.
“We must act now to make general practice a more attractive career choice for our future doctors,” Dr Hemley said.
General Practice Week (15-21 June) highlights the importance of general practice in our healthcare system and shows that GPs are leading the way to better health.
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