The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has welcomed new Minister for Health in Tasmania Jacquie Petrusma MP and praised outgoing Minister for Health Guy Barnett.
Mr Barnett will take on the role of Treasurer alongside his Attorney-General and Minister for Justice portfolios. Ms Petrusma, who was a registered nurse before being elected to state parliament, will also be Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Veterans' Affairs.
Mr Barnett joined RACGP Tasmania to welcome 40 new specialist GPs at a fellowship ceremony in Hobart last month.
RACGP Tasmania Chair Dr Toby Gardner thanked Mr Barnett for his work in the portfolio and welcomed Ms Petrusma.
"Guy Barnett stepped into the Minister for Health role and has been a pleasure to work with," Dr Gardner said.
"We've collaborated on health policy that has made a real difference for Tasmanians, particularly in ensuring people in our rural communities can continue to access care from a general practitioner who knows them and their history. There are real opportunities to not just keep, but expand access to care with the right support.
"We're now working with the Tasmanian Government to make it easier for patients to manage ADHD, which has been a challenge in Tasmania, and on the other commitments the Government brought to the election.
"There are fantastic opportunities to improve the health of our communities, along with the challenges Tasmania faces in its high burden of chronic health conditions.
"The Government's plan to pay off student debt and to help fund relocation costs for up to 40 rural GPs is smart, and their funding commitment for mother and baby units is welcome, along with their exemption of independent GPs from payroll tax. We look forward to working with Minister Petrusma on these and other smart solutions."
Tasmanian GPs attended the Parliament of Tasmania and met with state representatives to advocate for the health of their patients and communities in August, calling for:
- funding to attract 20 overseas-trained specialist doctors to become GPs via the RACGP's Fellowship Support Program (FSP), which allows overseas-trained specialist doctors to qualify as GPs in two years
- support for trainee doctors to complete general practice rotations to promote it as a career speciality
- funding to vaccinate vulnerable Tasmanians against potentially fatal meningococcal and RSV infections.
Dr Gardner said he looks forward to working with Ms Petrusma on these and other pressing issues in health.
"During this year's election, the Tasmanian Liberals said they will work with the RACGP on funding for qualified doctors who gained their medical degrees overseas to train as GPs in Tasmania, so it's clear the party knows what's needed to keep communities healthy," he said.
"We look forward to continuing these discussions.
"It's also vital to give doctors in early training opportunities to experience general practice. Providing care in the community is rewarding in a way that you cannot experience in a hospital rotation, and it's important for doctors to be able to experience that as they're thinking about their career opportunities."
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