Health ministers must better link hospitals and GPs: RACGP

The nation’s health ministers should work to improve patients’ healthcare outcomes by better integrating state hospitals and general practices, says the RACGP.
 
The call comes on the day of the final Health Ministers’ Meeting of the year, with the RACGP using the opportunity to again put forward its recommendations for the health system reforms it says will strengthen general practice.
 
Among these advocacy asks, the RACGP said there is a need to better link care between hospitals and general practices, as well as calling for the implementation of GP-led multidisciplinary teams as an outcome of the Scope of Practice Review, and for further clarity on expedited pathways for overseas-trained doctors. 
 
The college says this current lack of integration between state hospitals and general practice is causing poor health outcomes, delays to care, wastes time for both patients and GPs, and wastes health system resources.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the development of the National Health Reform Agreement for 2026 and beyond is an important opportunity to reform the health system by linking this care.
 
‘The lack of integration between hospitals and general practice means GP specialists aren’t routinely notified that their patient has been in hospital, and we often don’t find out until they see us, which can be months later,’ he said.
 
‘GP specialists are also frustrated by complicated hospital referral processes which delay patient access to care and takes up valuable time which could otherwise be spent providing care to more patients – all this can and must be fixed. 
 
‘National and international evidence shows this better connection will get better health outcomes for Australians and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and costs.’
 
The RACGP’s calls came on the same day as Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data revealed there were more than 8.8 million presentations to emergency departments in public hospitals in 2023–24.
 
The AIHW figures reveal 580,228 presentations to EDs were triaged as ‘non-urgent’ and 3,035,031 as ‘semi-urgent’, making up around 40% of the total presentations for the year.
 
Of the ED presentations across 2023–24, 67% of patients were seen on time for their triage category, half were seen within 18 minutes, and 90% of patients were seen within one hour and 55 minutes. 
 
These figures do not include the Northern Territory as ED data was not available at the time of publication.
 
Dr Wright also points to research findings that people with unplanned hospital admissions who see a GP within seven days are less likely to go back to hospital, reducing readmissions by up to 32%.      
 
‘This would be a clear win for state and territory health ministers who urgently need to reduce pressure on overloaded state hospitals,’ he said.
 
‘And it gives Australians who unexpectedly find themselves in hospital the best chance of reconnecting with their GP, recovering more quickly and getting on with their lives.’
 
Dr Wright also raised the RACGP’s long-time concerns around the direction of the Scope of Practice Review.
 
He reiterated that governments can improve access to care and reduce costs for patients by supporting GPs and their teams to do more.
 
‘Health ministers must be made aware that the Scope of Practice Review has created a lot of unnecessary tension,’ Dr Wright said.
 
‘To improve access to care and get the best results for patients, we’re asking the Government to increase funding for longer GP consultations and for GP-led multidisciplinary care teams.
 
‘Most practices in Australia already provide multidisciplinary care, and want to grow their teams with GPs, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health all working together to get the best results for their patients.’
 
Finally, the college is asking for further clarity on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s (AHPRA) expedited pathway for overseas-trained doctors, after it was launched on 21 October, much to the worry of the RACGP.
 
While the college recognises that Australia needs specialist GPs ‘more than ever’ due to population growth and ageing, as well as increasing chronic health conditions, Dr Wright says all doctors practising in Australia need to be qualified and supported to do so safely and in a culturally appropriate way.
 
‘These standards must apply for Australian graduates, as well as doctors who gained their medical degrees overseas,’ he said.
 
Dr Wright is urging for clearer details about how AHPRA will identify unsuitable candidates and ensure these doctors are supervised to the required standard.
 
‘The information they [AHPRA] have provided has not eased our concerns,’ he said.
 
‘We also still don’t know how AHPRA will ensure doctors will be placed in areas of greatest need, or how they’ll encourage them to remain in these communities – we urgently need clarity.’ 
 
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emergency department general practice funding hospital readmission National Health Reform Agreement scope of practice