The Royal Australian College of GPs applauds the Coalition of Independents for its plan to grow the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) GP workforce and is urging other parties to match the election commitment.
A crossbench of Independents for Canberra MLAs today committed to attracting GP registrars to train and stay on in the ACT by offering 20 $40,000 grants per year and co-designing a retention and burnout prevention strategy.
NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said: "There is no substitute for the quality care you get from a GP who knows you and cares for you over the years.
"But the ACT is one of the worst places to be if you need to see a GP – it has the lowest number of GPs per person of any capital in Australia. For our national capital to have such poor access to essential healthcare is disgraceful.
"The RACGP applauds the Coalition of Independents support for incentives to attract GPs to train in the ACT and developing a co-designed retention and burnout strategy, so they stay. We're urging all other parties to match this commitment before the election on 19 October.
"Swift action is needed to grow the ACT's GP workforce to meet the demand for care today, and in the future. We have an ageing population and increasing chronic and complex disease, which requires high-quality general practice care.
"Funding incentives for GPs in training works – Victoria saw an immediate increase in the number of doctors training as specialist GPs after introducing a $40,000 incentive, and Queensland recently did the same to attract GPs.
"If the ACT provides a similar incentive, it will grow the GP workforce immediately and for the future, because we know GPs often choose to stay practising where they train and get a taste of life.
"Better access to essential GP care will also mean a healthier community, and less pressure on the ACT's overflowing hospitals and ambulances – it's a relatively small investment with big benefits for Canberrans."
