Regional GP shortage is no fairy tale, Crook

Author: Tony Crook
Published on: 03-October-2011

Nationals WA Federal Member for O’Connor Tony Crook MP has hit out at claims made by the Monash University that regional Australia’s GP shortage is a myth. (Monash research attacks GP shortage ‘myth’; Australian Financial Review; September 23, 2011)

Mr Crook said claims that the regional GP shortage was a myth was “a poke in the eye” to the many regional communities who were struggling to attract doctors.

A study by Monash University claims that Australia is “awash with doctors” and that “country GP shortages are largely a myth.”

Mr Crook said the doctor shortage was one of the most significant issues affecting regional communities in WA.

“I can only assume the author of the report has never tried to book an appointment to see a doctor in regional WA,” Mr Crook said.

Mr Crook said statistics provided by Rural Health West indicate that there are up to 63 vacancies for GPs in rural and remote WA.

A survey conducted by The Nationals WA last year received responses from 94 regional shires – 46 of those said they were affected by the doctor shortage – and more than half provided a financial incentive to attract and retain their doctor.

“Regional Western Australia clearly has a critical undersupply of GPs when you look at these figures,” Mr Crook said.

“For an Eastern States University to be touting that the doctor shortage does not exist is really quite worrying.

“Consecutive Federal Government’s have ignored this critical issue, and reports like this only give the Government further cause to let this issue slide.”

Mr Crook said the report also recommended that no new visas be granted to overseas-trained doctors pending an investigation of the doctor shortage.

“Western Australia has the highest proportion of foreign trained doctors in the country – yet has fewer doctors per capita than any other state in Australia.

“Overseas-trained doctors are currently providing a lifeline for regional Australia that an Eastern States University would see us go without,” Mr Crook said.

Mr Crook gave evidence to the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Ageing as part on their inquiry into overseas-trained doctors.

“The doctor shortage is the biggest single issue in keeping our regional communities vibrant and sustainable,” Mr Crook said.

“People don’t leave the regions because the roads are no good; they leave because they can’t access basic health services.”

Mr Crook is a former Chairman of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations, and as the Member for O’Connor he represents more than 900,000 square kilometres of regional Western Australia and 43 local government areas in Canberra.

See this article on the member's website