Canberra Independents commit to GP incentives

Independents for Canberra’s politicians have set their sights on tackling the capital’s GP workforce shortage, committing to incentive packages and a new strategy to prevent burnout for GPs if it holds the balance of power at the territory’s upcoming election.
 
The RACGP has welcomed the incentives package, which commits to providing up to 20, $40,000 grants for general practice registrars to train and stay in the Australian Capital Territory.
 
The group also committed to a ‘co-designed retention and burnout prevention strategy for existing GPs’ but the details of that are yet to be released.
 
The ACT currently has the lowest number of GPs per capita than anywhere else in the country, and Independents for Canberra Leader Thomas Emerson said ‘something has to change’,  
 
‘How can it be that we have the nation’s worst healthcare system on so many metrics?’ he said.
 
‘We’re not seeing the urgent action needed to lift ourselves off the bottom rung of the ladder.’
 
Mr Emerson and his colleagues have agreed that equitable access to GPs ‘is a vital first step’.
 
‘Too many Canberrans can’t get in to see a GP, meaning complex issues get missed, early intervention doesn’t happen, and care becomes fragmented,’ he said.
 
RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman applauded the move, and is urging other parties to match this commitment before the election on 19 October.
 
‘The ACT is one of the worst places to be if you need to see a GP … for our national capital to have such poor access to essential healthcare is disgraceful,’ she said.
 
‘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.’
 
Independents for Canberra also committed to clearing 75% of the territory’s elective surgery waitlist within 12 months of being elected.
 
But Dr Hoffman said much more action is needed, and fast, 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,’ she said.
 
‘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.’
 
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ACT general practice funding general practice registrars incentive placements workforce shortages