Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Gallagher, representing the minister for health. Tasmania spent $182 million on locum doctors and agency nurses in 2023-24, which is triple the cost from three years ago. I know that relying on locums is not a sustainable solution and that the fix for Tasmania's lack of health professionals needs a multipronged approach. One element that could be tweaked is reviewing the modified Monash model, as this makes it easier for Tasmanian medical practices to hire health professionals. Will the government commit to a review of the Monash model classifications in Tasmania to allow us to attract more health professionals?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Tyrrell for the question and for the work she does around health care and healthcare provision in Tasmania. And Senator Tyrrell is right. The health workforce is under a huge amount of pressure in Tasmania but also around the country—in particular GPs, who are the first point of contact for many, either for getting a health check or if they have a health problem.

I know that Senator Tyrrell frequently engages with the health minister on the matters that relate to Tasmania. I'm not here to commit to a review of the Monash model, as the senator has asked me today, but we have done a range of things to invest in the health workforce since we came to government. The health workforce delivers all of the health care, so when you're looking at measures like trying to increase the bulk-billing rate and all of those things we need health professionals to be able to do that.

The health minister has been very clear about the pressures on the GP workforce, as has the college and others. It's not just a matter of incentivising. The bigger problem we've got to fix is the supply of GPs more broadly. Whilst it is a significant issue in Tasmania, there are also quite a number of other areas around the country where this is an issue too. How you can support and incentivise the primary healthcare model is something that this government is focused on. We're looking at a range of ways to do this. One of them is how we make sure that we've got more doctors coming through the system. We're also looking at scope-of-practice issues for nurse practitioners and others, but they can't do all of the work of a medical professional.

We remain committed and indeed happy to work with Senator Tyrrell on ideas to support Tasmanian health— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, first supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Medical practices in Tasmanian regional towns are suffering due to the modified Monash model. The medical practice at Lilydale is only 100 metres outside the 'medium rural town' boundary and the practice in New Norfolk falls inside the 'regional centre' boundary. This makes it harder for these practices to recruit medical practitioners. If there is no review of the model, would the government consider case-by-case assessments to help practices in regional areas?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Tyrrell for the question. In general, the health minister's door is always open to representations and ideas to support the delivery of primary health care around the country, including in Tasmania. I note today in the local paper—in the Mercury, I think—there was a story about some improvements in GP numbers and bulk-billing in Tasmania, which is hugely welcome and I imagine driven by some of the measures we've been talking about, including tripling the bulk-billing rate. But I acknowledge that there is much more work to do.

When looking at some of the incentives and programs, we have to look at the whole of the country not just one particular aspect, because incentives do change behaviour—this underpins the Monash model. I think the focus is on supply and getting more doctors into the system, but I'm happy to work with Senator Tyrrell on ideas she might have.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Another issue with the modified Monash model is that each area's economy is not considered as part of the model's classification process. Could population data and economic status be linked to the modified Monash model to make it more relevant to small regional towns where there are pockets of disadvantage?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank you, Senator Tyrrell. A number of aspects of our health system, including some of the items through MBS, are targeted based on demographics and taking into consideration some of the factors that Senator Tyrrell has raised. Also, the Working better for Medicare review was handed down this week. It did consider the Modified Monash Model. It's been handed this week, so the Minister for Health and Aged Care will be considering the recommendations and consulting on them. So it may be in that context, Senator Tyrrell, that you could have further discussions on what might be possible in the good state of Tasmania.