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Budget fallout: RACGP disappointment over 10-year plan

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The RACGP has issued a warning that measures announced in the Federal Budget do not address the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic and future challenges of a fatigued health system.
 
Of chief concern to the college is a failure to implement major components of the Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan, much of which remains unfunded.
 
Responding to the Budget, RACGP President Dr Karen Price pointed to the college’s recent 10-year plan submission, which emphasised the risks posed by maintaining the status quo – including the impact on high-quality general practice care – should appropriately funded reform not take place.
 
‘Reform without proper investment is not worth the paper it’s written on,’ she said.
 
‘General practice is under enormous pressure … we need to fix workforce gaps, particularly in rural and remote areas, and increase Medicare rebates to reflect the cost of providing high-quality general practice care for all patients, no matter their postcode.
 
‘Tonight’s Budget simply did not live up to expectations on the 10-year plan. This is very frustrating given the time, resources, and effort we and many other health groups have put in over several years.
 
‘The Federal Government has failed to provide much-needed funding to support vulnerable patient groups, including those with chronic and complex disease, and deliver on what is needed to ensure a strong future for primary healthcare in Australia.’
 
The college has also indicated that the lack of focus on funding and implementing the 10-year plan will result in continuing gaps in aged care, mental health, disability, and chronic and complex care.
 
‘There is also a disappointing lack of new investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare,’ Dr Price said.
 
‘If we are serious about Closing the Gap, then surely giving greater assistance to general practices, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and other health services to improve health outcomes must be a priority.’
 
However, while the RACGP was critical of the lack of primary care investment, it did recognise funding for several important healthcare priorities, including:

• $16.4 million to establish new endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics in general practice, ensuring that there is frontline primary care support available to improve early diagnosis, treatment, and support, as well as $5.1 million to develop an Endometriosis Management Plan to support patients in primary care
• $81.2 million for a new Medicare rebate for genetic testing for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, and fragile X syndrome
• $296.5 million towards the 10-Year Stronger Rural Health Strategy, including more rural medical Commonwealth Supported Places and deregulation of MRI Medicare Benefits Schedule services for Australians in regional, rural, and remote areas
• $127.8 million for trauma-informed national counselling services to support victim-survivors and extending support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Support Services for families who are experiencing, witnessing or at risk of family or domestic violence
• $55 million for the purchase and continued provision of essential personal protective equipment for GPs and pharmacists.

A continued commitment to permanent universal telehealth was also welcomed, but overall Dr Price suggested that the Budget was underwhelming, given the level of investment required to support the long-term future of general practice patient care.
 
In particular, the lack of funding for reforms related to voluntary patient enrolment was described as a missed opportunity by Dr Price.
 
‘We know that continuity of care is linked to better patient relationships, better uptake of preventive care, increased access to care, and reduced healthcare use and costs,’ she said.
 
‘The Budget provides $0.5 million over four years to establish and maintain a governance and advisory group for the implementation of the 10-year plan. But we’ve already had three years of discussions and roundtables.
 
‘We don’t need more of the same; we need action.
 
‘This Budget will do nothing to attract medical students to the specialty of general practice and this means that the sustainability of the most cost-efficient and effective part of the health system remains at high risk.
 
‘A failure of investment in primary care puts every other part of the health system in jeopardy. 
 
‘We can’t afford to run out of GPs’ 
 
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Federal Budget Medicare Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan reform telehealth voluntary patient enrolment

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