RACGP WA makes pitch for more after-hours help

Improving access to after-hours general practices is one policy at the heart of a recent RACGP WA submission ahead of the state’s May budget.
 
RACGP Vice President and WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman noted politicians carrying out ‘a lot of work’ related to urgent care and pharmacy scope of practice, saying that after-hours care should be a core part of GP work.
 
‘The reality is this is bread and butter of general practice and what we are able to deliver,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘Again, it comes back to the point that if we fix the funding, we can also enable and sustain the workforce with that.
 
‘There is certainly an appetite within general practice, but we need to have the appropriate systems and processes and the funding to support that.’
 
Among other policy planks in the submission are proposed enhancements to the post-hospital discharge process, which would allow GPs to be more involved in care to prevent re-admissions; increased meningococcal B vaccine coverage, and funding for GPs to be remunerated for preparing medical reports for the State Administrative Tribunal.
 
As part of the advocacy process, Dr Raman and colleagues from the RACGP WA faculty have been engaging with local representatives from different sides of politics.
 
Dr Raman reports progress in discussions with the state’s health ministers, while the faculty also held a roundtable event on Wednesday night with Ms Libby Mettam, WA Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Health.
 
Dr Raman said the conversation was wide-ranging, including flu vaccination and pressures on housing for health professionals in remote areas of the state.
 
She also pointed to the Liberal election platform, which is based around many of the college’s suggestions.
 
‘Our advocacy does work and it does have an effect,’ she said.
 
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