RACGP puts spotlight on pandemic experience

RACGP President Dr Karen Price has called for lessons to be learned after the college lodged a detailed submission about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
 
The document, now submitted to the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), outlines a series of missteps in the vaccination program. 
 
It also calls for general practice to have a greater role in shaping future responses.
 
‘The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role that GPs play in Australia’s healthcare system,’ Dr Price said. 
 
‘Practices have done a tremendous job in the vaccine rollout; however, it has not been easy.’
 
The disparity in vaccine take-up between the population as a whole and the country’s most vulnerable residents, as well as the challenges created by sudden changes in vaccine eligibility criteria, are among the issues highlighted.
 
‘It’s particularly important we improve vaccine education and access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,’ Dr Price said.
 
‘While more than 85% of all people in Australia aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated, that figure sits at just 57% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.’
 
Dr Price also believes the RACGP’s calls for more information to boost vaccine confidence in the community were not heeded as they should have been.
 
She cited a college survey carried out in June in which 92% of members said more needed to be done to improve public awareness and education.
 
‘A vacuum was left in which anti-vaxxer groups could disseminate their misinformation. We called on all governments to strengthen their campaigns to boost vaccine confidence for this very reason,’ she said.
 
‘We also need to improve communication efforts with different segments of the population – a one-size fits all approach does not work.
 
‘Different communication styles and approaches for culturally and linguistically diverse people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were not considered until it was apparent that existing strategies were not working.
 
‘It’s vital that we learn from this episode so that next time a public health crisis emerges we are ready with a comprehensive, well-targeted, nationwide campaign.’
 
The document also raises the difficulties faced by residential aged care workers and people with a disability in receiving a timely vaccine.
 
As eligibility guidelines for AstraZeneca shifted without warning in April and June, the report highlights how many general practices discovered the changes via patients or the media, exposing them to a confused general public.  
 
‘Repeated changes to vaccine eligibility criteria left many patients bewildered and general practice teams were often the target of patient frustrations, including aggressive and threatening behaviour,’ Dr Price said.
 
‘Changes to the vaccine rollout came without warning in the middle of a working day when we were flat out not only delivering vaccines but providing usual healthcare and this played havoc with our booking systems and wait times.’
 
Unexpected government announcements prompted a surge in demand for the vaccines, sometimes when vaccines were in short supply, which increased the strain on GPs, she said.
 
Positive engagement
While critical in many areas, the submission to the ANAO also commends the Department of Health (DoH) ‘for its rapid and ongoing engagement with health stakeholders during the pandemic and vaccine rollout’.
 
Another focus is the increased administrative burden on GPs caused by the vaccination program, with the 29-page fact sheet on MBS COVID-19 vaccine items given as an example – although the support of health officials in navigating the complexity is again acknowledged.
 
‘Departmental staff have been responsive to the RACGP’s enquiries – particularly regarding Medicare item numbers – which has greatly assisted us to disseminate timely, accurate information to our members,’ the report reads.
 
The submission also highlights the benefit of having a senior GP, Professor Michael Kidd, in the role of Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
 
‘In subsequent rollouts, the RACGP would like to see greater GP representation at all levels of government and policy making in response to not only pandemics, but other disasters impacting the health of the community including fires and floods,’ Dr Price said.
 
The future
The college’s submission says investment in general practice and greater collaboration at all levels of government will be instrumental for the success of the ongoing COVID-19 response and any future health crisis.
 
‘GPs and general practice teams have been working tirelessly to continue caring for their patients during this unprecedented global pandemic and public health response to support a population-wide vaccination rollout,’ it states.
 
‘The RACGP hopes the lessons from the COVID-19 response will highlight the longstanding need for increased funding to be provided by all levels of government to support general practice, which will enable ongoing patient access to high quality, affordable care.’
 
The college also warns the role of general practice in the response to the pandemic is ‘far from over’, despite the current high vaccination rate, and urges heath authorities not to return to a pre-pandemic setting.
 
‘[The COVID-19 response] will continue for several years, as GPs manage ongoing vaccine boosters and potentially yearly vaccine programs, [as well as] the mental health and other effects resulting from the last two years,’ the submission states.
 
‘There is currently limited discussion about supports available when the immediacy of the crisis has passed. The RACGP therefore cautions against a return to ‘business as usual’ in the wake of COVID-19.
 
‘The RACGP believes a key factor to ensure we recover successfully from the impacts of this pandemic is a coordinated and consistent response across all levels of government.’
 
The ANAO is accepting submissions until the end of January, and is due to table a report in April next year.
 
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