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Report reveals parents’ high level of faith in GPs


Amanda Lyons


21/12/2017 3:24:55 PM

A recent report shows an overwhelming majority of parents consulting GPs in Victoria are satisfied with the advice and support they receive.

Nine out of 10 parents in the report said they were satisfied with the help they received from their GP.
Nine out of 10 parents in the report said they were satisfied with the help they received from their GP.

The Parenting today in Victoria: Technical report, released earlier this month by non-profit organisation the Parenting Research Centre, assessed parents’ opinions of help sought and provided from three different professional groups: teachers and educators, GPs, and mental health professionals.
 
The highest proportion of parents (55%) sought help from GPs, particularly in children’s earlier, pre-school years. The vast majority of those who consulted GPs (90%) were satisfied with the help they received, and a high proportion (84%) felt their ideas about their children were valued by GPs during consultations.
 
When parents were asked if they felt blamed or judged by the professional they were consulting, 90% of those seeing GPs either disagreed or strongly disagreed. Additionally, the perception of lack of judgement by GPs remained equal across all socioeconomic areas.
 
Dr Wendy Burton, Chair of the RACGP’s Antenatal/Postnatal Care Specific Interests network, believes the report confirms the important role GPs play within the community providing support for parents.
 
‘It reinforces that GPs are definitely one of the avenues of trusted information parents will turn to,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘I think if GPs can have that longitudinal relationship with the family, help them with their concerns with infant behaviour and point them in the right direction for the appropriate resources, then we do a great service to the nation.
 
‘It’s really important to keep GPs anchored in the community and providing those services across the socioeconomic spectrum.’
 
While GPs had the highest scores across each measure, scores were also high for teachers and mental health professionals, which Dr Burton felt was a very positive outcome for parents.
 
‘It’s great to see that GPs were on the mark, but also terrific that our teachers and mental health colleagues are providing effective information and validating parents’ concerns,’ she said. ‘We have parents safety-netted, so there’s no door that’s the wrong door.’



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