Dr James Langley has a wish list for the May 18 federal election.
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The Surf Beach GP wants funding for the promised Eurobodalla regional hospital, less out-of-pocket expenses for patients and more bulk billing.
He wants a resident psychiatrist for the shire, the Indigenous health gap closed and more incentives for GPs to visit nursing homes.
Dr Langley wanted both Labor and the Coalition to keep their promises for a new Eurobodalla hospital.
"That would mean an improved level of service, more specialists - particularly for surgery, the availability of intensive care and a better-quality emergency department," he said.
He wanted state and federal governments to resolve the "private health insurance problem".
"A lot of people struggle to pay private health insurance. When they end up having surgery, they're faced with huge gaps they can't afford," he said.
"The government has to act to reduce out-of-pocket expenses."
Dr Langley was surprised the government reduced payments for GPs visiting nursing homes, particularly with an aging population.
He said there were no incentives for GPs, and it could be a frustrating experience.
"They need to make it a little more attractive," he said.
Some nursing homes are disorganised. It can be a struggle to find a registered nurse (RN), and (one) who knows the patient and what's going on.
- Dr James Langley
"We need more RNs."
He said emergency services were "vastly more expensive", so more GPs would benefit patients and the economy.
A program for the "projected high rates of dementia" was needed and mental health was crucial.
"It's difficult to provide high-quality care when we don't have any resident psychiatrists in the Eurobodalla," he said.
"There are very long waiting lists, even for adolescents."
It was common for "quite unwell" patients to wait six weeks and others to wait months.
He said "closing the gap" results were "disappointing" and "the commitment needs to continue" for Indigenous health.
Dr Langley wanted to bulk bill all patients, but the Medicare freeze prevented him.
Federal and state governments were "buck passing" on health delivery and must cooperate.
"There are still examples of cost shifting," he said.
"There needs to be ongoing discussions sorting out interaction between state and federal governments."
