A SIGNIFICANT doctor workforce shortage is plaguing the Mallee, Federal Parliament has been told.
Member for Mallee Anne Webster said it was not OK that a person’s location determined their access to health services and therefore quality of life, but at the moment it did.
Dr Webster told parliament this week that health care affected every person, regardless of where they lived, however Australians living in the regions had less access to quality health care.
“My electorate of Mallee is home to over 150,000 people and covers an area just shy of 82,000 sq km,” Dr Webster said.
“The size of the electorate represents 36 per cent of Victoria, making it the largest in the state.
“Despite its size, population and economic significance to the state and nation, the Mallee is plagued by issues related to the provision of health services.
“Issues like those faced in Mallee are becoming exceedingly common across regional and rural Australia.”
Dr Webster said there was a significant maldistribution of health professionals between metropolitan and regional areas, especially with regard to general practitioners.
“The GP-to-population ratio in the Mallee is appallingly low compared to cities,” she said.
“The doctor-to-patient ratio in Melbourne is one GP to approximately 900 people, compared to the Mildura region where that ratio is one doctor to 3700 people.
“This disparity highlights the inequity between regional and metropolitan areas and represents the significant workforce shortages plaguing the Mallee.”
Dr Webster said workforce shortages had been exacerbated by an ageing cohort of GPs and the difficulties in attracting new GPs to regional areas.
“We have reached a crisis point,” she said.
“In short, there is a lack of equity in health care provision.
“It’s so important to me that we implement the changes and the strategies to address the inequity that exists in the health care system.
“Valuable regional health care reform must address the unique problems and challenges that arise in these settings.”
Dr Webster said the rapid establishment of respiratory clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mildura had been welcomed.
“By taking pressure off the hospital and local GPs, this clinic has delivered enormous benefits to the community,” she said.
“In just over one month, the clinic triaged 528 telephone consultations which led to 345 GP appointments and 326 tests for coronavirus.”
Dr Webster said the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner had delivered valuable outcomes for regional and remote Australia and its continuation would support the government to address the challenges of regional health care delivery.
