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‘It’s been an ongoing struggle’: Clinic closures continue
After making the tough decision to close her practice after years of ‘hanging on’, one GP is calling for urgent workforce and funding reforms.
‘As time went on there was obviously increasing health demand, not enough workforce, inability to get additional workforce, and I utilised all the strategies around that most GPs know about.'
‘Because I am such a small practice, delivering this news to the community has been challenging.’
Just hours after telling her patients, Dr Robyn Mathews has spoken out about the realities of being a GP and practice owner, and the tough decision to close her clinic on 28 February.
For the last six years, Dr Mathews has owned and worked at Bridge Street Surgery Richmond, a regional Tasmanian clinic servicing around 1500 patients.
Soon after she opened her doors, she became the only GP in the popular tourist town, surrounded by working farms and about 30 kilometres out of Hobart.
‘We had a small workforce, one full-time receptionist and one part-time nurse,’ she told newsGP.
‘Then COVID hit and there were all the challenges that went with COVID for everyone.
‘As time went on there was obviously increasing health demand, not enough workforce, inability to get additional workforce, and I utilised all the strategies around that most GPs know about.
‘All the way along, you’re hanging on.’
Dr Mathews’ story will ring true for many GPs and practice owners right across Australia, as they work within a healthcare system facing older and more complex patients.
‘I can tell you now, I have not paid myself properly in the last six months, my practice actually owes me,’ she said
‘I’m able to pay all my bills, I pay my staff, I’m able to keep the doors open – I don’t owe anyone anything except myself.’
But earlier this month, Dr Mathews made the decision to close her practice, saying ‘it’s been an ongoing struggle’.
‘There are increasing issues around lack of general practice across the nation, not just Tassie, but it’s particularly worse in the rural and regional areas,’ she said.
‘Some of the key barriers are things around registrar training and experiences for potential junior doctors to see different types of practice.
‘Incentivising may be a part of that, but I’m not sure that’s necessarily the golden ticket.’
On social media, her saddened patients shared their own views on the closure.
‘I can imagine the decision was a hard and heartbreaking one, that no one, especially you, enjoyed making! Thank you for sticking around Richmond for as long as you could,’ said one person.
‘It’s been a privilege to be able to come to your practice with any health concerns and be looked after and treated so kindly,’ commented another.
Dr Mathews also pointed to her difficulties within the Modified Monash Model (MMM) system, saying it had been a ‘big issue’ for her.
‘I’m an MMM2-rated practice under the Federal Government, but if I was five kilometres down the road, I’d be MMM3 … that is a huge barrier for me in accessing potentially another workforce that would maybe be attracted to the MMM3 region,’ she said.
‘There’s also really more of the complex types of care – the people are travelling an hour to see me here and they’re not going to be wanting to come back the next week for another item 23 consultation because they’ve got five things on their list of things to do.
‘Often people wait a little longer too, the farmer may not come in quite when they need to, and they probably sit at home for a little bit longer and trying to see if they can manage their health and needs without having to seek additional help.
‘By the time they come in maybe the health issues have been exacerbated a bit further, so there is a bit more complexity there.’
Dr Mathews’ is far from alone in her experience as across Australia, practices are being forced to shut their doors, many citing similar reasons.
With a Federal Election on the horizon, on Thursday, the RACGP released its election asks, aimed at addressing the systemic issues currently plaguing GPs.
The college is calling on all parties to support a 40% increase in patients’ rebates for longer consultations, for an extra 1500 training places to be funded over the next five years, and for an extension in eligibility for annual GP health assessments for all women.
In the meantime, Dr Mathews will be moving to another practice.
‘I don’t want to abandon my patients, that’s another thing that I’ve really been conscious about,’ she said.
‘I’m not retiring, I’m not sick, I still want to practise and give something back.’
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