GPs from across Western Australia will discuss ways to improve health outcomes through primary care in a forum with Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John and members of the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) today.
The forum will give GPs from Perth, as well as regional and rural communities, the opportunity to raise key issues with the Greens Spokesperson on Health Senator Steele-John. The pressing issues on the agenda are:
- The benefits of 60-day dispensing for WA patients. This will double the medicines pharmacists can dispense to patients for stable conditions on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to up to 60 days. It will save patients up to $180 per year on dispensing fees and more for people taking multiple medicines, reduce unnecessary trips to pick up medicines, and free up GP appointments for other patients.
- Medicare patient rebates need to better reflect the cost of providing health services across WA and reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients.
- Growing the general practice workforce by supporting registrars to experience general practice placements and making it easier and more attractive for overseas medical graduates to come to WA.
RACGP WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman said the forum is a valuable opportunity for the Senator to hear from WA's GPs.
"GPs know their patients and communities, and the challenges many people face accessing healthcare and medicines they can afford, particularly with the current cost of living crisis," she said.
"The change to 60-day medicine dispensing is in patients' best interests and it's long overdue. It has been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee since 2018 and brings Australia into line with other countries like New Zealand, the US and Canada, where patients can get multiple months of medications on a single script.
"This reform will benefit the people who need it most, including those with chronic conditions, people in rural areas who have a long drive to their nearest pharmacy, and our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our parliamentarians need to put patients first and support this reform which will save money and time for some six million Australians, and free up GP appointments."
The WA Chair said more can be done to grow the state's GP workforce, particularly in rural communities, and to reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients.
"General practice keeps people healthy and out of hospital – everyone needs access to high-quality and affordable GP care, no matter where they live across WA or the rest of our country," she said.
"There are many ways the government can grow WA's GP workforce. The RACGP is continuing to call for governments to make it easier and more attractive for international medical graduates to come to Australia by cutting red tape and re-instating the subsidy for their training to practice as a specialist GP. We also want to see the return of a general practice placement program so registrars can experience what it's like to be a GP and the rewards of this career.
"It's also essential that Medicare patient rebates better reflect the cost of providing health services across WA. The RACGP welcomed the recent increase in Medicare rebates in the Federal Budget, but there is a long way to go to repair the decades of underfunding of what is Australia's public health insurance. I look forward to working with MPs and Senators on this, and the government's reforms to continue strengthening Medicare and rebuilding general practice care for patients."
One of the GPs attending the forum, Dr Damien Zilm, who practices in Meekatharra in the Mid-West, said he is keen to speak to the Senator about the benefits of 60-day dispensing for his patients.
"This change will save our patients money at a time when they really need it. It's especially important for our families who just miss out on healthcare card subsidies – they are really hurting right now and halving the cost of their medication will make a difference," said Dr Zilm.
"It will also make life easier for my patients who live on remote stations and places that are over 100 kilometres from the nearest town with a pharmacy. It will cut the unnecessary travel, and they'll be less likely to run out of their medications."
