Sophie Scamps (Mackellar, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I also thank the member for Indi for this matter of public importance and the opportunity to speak about it. As a former GP, just 18 months ago, I will be focusing on the GP crisis at the centre of primary health care.

Imagine your child is in acute pain with an earache and you need to have them checked by a GP. Your local GP, the one that you usually see, however, can't fit her in for a few days. This is a common scenario, which all too often ends up as an hour's long wait in the emergency department. Emergency and hospital staff are already stretched to the limit, often facing bed-block issues in their hospitals, caring for inpatients in corridors and ramping of ambulances. The shortage of GPs exacerbates this situation.

An effective health system depends on a well-functioning primary healthcare system. If the GP sector collapses, if the primary healthcare sector collapses, the entire system will go down with it. The role of a GP is to manage both acute and chronic medical conditions of their patients and to prevent disease, both through education and screening. We do it in every single consult, even if somebody comes in for a sneeze or a script. The role of a healthy primary care sector is what keeps people out of hospitals and prevents chronic disease. People who have continuity of care with a GP who knows them well are far less likely to be admitted to hospital. You can imagine the cost effectiveness of this is enormous.

I know, firsthand, the pressures and stress that GPs are under. I've spoken to practices that are on the brink of financial collapse. Very few GP practices in my electorate have been able to continue bulk-billing the vast majority of their patients, simply because after a several-year freeze on Medicare rebates it's financially unviable. Many have had job ads up for months and can't fill the GP positions.

But anecdote is not data. A survey conducted by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners last year showed that 48 per cent of GPs consider it financially unsustainable to continue working as a GP. According to a May 2022 report by Deloitte Access Economics, Australia can expect a widening shortfall in the availability of GPs. By 2032 the shortfall is expected to be over 11,000 full-time equivalent GPs, or 28 per cent of the workforce. If you think it's bad now, imagine what it's going to be like in just 10 years time.

The number of young doctors choosing to specialise in general practice continues to fall. One of the major reasons for this is that, quite simply, the critical work that general practitioners do day in and day out is not valued as it should be; the seven-year Medicare rebate freeze was emblematic of that. Why would you work in a profession where you are overworked and not valued? Burnout among GPs is a major problem, and the RACGP survey showed that unsustainable workload and burnout are contributing to GPs taking early retirement from the profession—including young GPs.

I fully support the government's concept of fully utilising allied health workers, so that there is a team based approach to looking after patients, with GPs as generalists providing oversight and that holistic care and direction. It makes good sense and is good practice for patients. It's also important that Medicare rebates for prolonged GP consultations are introduced so that GPs can be remunerated for the management of difficult and complex issues. It's this type of care which keeps people out of hospitals and will relieve that pressure on the hospital system.

However, I also have great issue with the concept that pharmacists will take on prescribing, as this will fracture care and, I feel, deliver lower-quality care. I can't tell you how many times a patient came to me saying, 'Doc, this'll just be a quick one; I just need a repeat prescription.' Thirty minutes later, you've diagnosed a couple of critical issues and you're worried what would've happened if they hadn't come and seen you that day. GPs must be valued rather than replaced by others who are not trained for this very specialist role.

I also acknowledge there are widespread workforce problems across the— (Time expired)

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