Rural and remote doctors are leaving regional areas

Nadine Morton
Updated August 8 2022 - 7:00am, first published 6:55am
CONCERNS: Fears are growing of a mass exodus of rural and remote doctors across Australia. Picture: File
CONCERNS: Fears are growing of a mass exodus of rural and remote doctors across Australia. Picture: File

Country doctors are being targeted for city relocations under Labor's changes to the medical workforce policy.

The Federal Government has scrapped a long-standing policy that required overseas trained doctors (OTD) who want to live and work in Australia to spend time caring for rural and remote communities before receiving an unrestricted Medicare provider number.

Now, OTDs are able to immediately relocate to large regional centres and some outer metropolitan areas.

"My biggest fear is that you'll get a mass exodus of rural and remote doctors to these areas, and that these communities will be left without a GP," Rural Doctors Association of Australia president Dr Megan Belot said.

"As quickly as it was announced, city medical practices started targeting doctors in rural areas to move to cities including Canberra, Hobart, Sunshine Coast and Wollongong."

WORRY: Country doctors were targeted as soon as the change was made, Rural Doctors Association of Australia president Dr Megan Belot. Picture: Supplied
WORRY: Country doctors were targeted as soon as the change was made, Rural Doctors Association of Australia president Dr Megan Belot. Picture: Supplied

Dr Belot warned the change of policy would make it tougher to get doctors to work in country areas.

"The amount of policies and procedures to get through, it takes at least 12 months until they're [a new OTD doctor] actually here," she said.

Dr Belot said the change in policy was Labor's attempt to secure votes at the federal election in "outer metro areas that are screaming for doctors like Bendigo and Frankston [in Victoria]".

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Federal health minister Mark Butler declined to comment on why Labor changed the policy.

"In 2018 the Morrison Government arbitrarily axed the ability of a long list of communities to recruit overseas trained doctors, to fill gaps in general practice in those outer suburbs and the regions," he said.

Dr Belot said a "fairly big carrot" is needed to keep rural and remote doctors in the country, and she's called on Labor to accelerate its $146 million election commitment to reform the Workforce Incentive Programs (WIP).

In 2018 the Morrison Government arbitrarily axed the ability of a long list of communities to recruit overseas trained doctors, to fill gaps in general practice in those outer suburbs and the regions.

- Federal Health Minister Mark Butler

The WIP exists for rural and remote doctors, but it's only for GPs. Dr Belot said expanding it to include anaesthesia, obstetrics and emergency medicine would encourage doctors to stay in the bush.

"It's to encourage everyone to work in the hospital system as well," she said. "It's something to counterbalance what's on offer."

Mr Butler said Labor has allocated $87.5m to increase workforce incentives and payments for GPs and primary care practices, and to provide further targeted support for rural medical professionals with advanced skills.

Doctors opting out of general practice

SUPPORT: Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said $87.5 million has been allocated to increase workforce incentives and payments for GPs. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
SUPPORT: Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said $87.5 million has been allocated to increase workforce incentives and payments for GPs. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong

Fifty years ago, around half of all doctors chose to specialise in general practice, now it's around 16 per cent, Dr Belot siad.

"GPs have been undervalued for years and the profession has eroded away," she said.

Mr Butler blamed the lack of GPs in Australia on the Coalition government and its "cuts and neglect" to the Medicare system in the past nine years.

"It's never been harder or more expensive to see a doctor than it is now," he said.

"The former government froze the Medicare rebate for six years, ripping billions of dollars out of primary care and causing gap fees to skyrocket.

"No wonder young doctors are walking away from general practice in droves," Mr Butler said.

Nadine Morton

Nadine Morton

Senior journalist

Breaking news journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Email: nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au