Bulk billing concerns
Re end to bulk billing: It is distressing to hear of the closure of Blue House Surgery Narooma and the intention of the only 100 per cent bulk billing practices at Narooma Medical and Specialist Centre and Tuross Head Medical to move to a mixed billing model.
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This also threatens the proposed opening of a 100 per cent bulkbilling practice in Bega. As a medical practitioner, I fully appreciate the financial demands of running a medical practice. Like any small business, there are the costs of overheads such as rent, fit out, staff wages, insurances, disposables and consumables. Any loss of a General Practice is a devastating blow to a community. Apart from their daily General Practice duties, these rural GPs train General Practice registrars, medical students, fulfil hospital VMO duties including inpatient care, anaesthetics, obstetrics and emergencies.
They provide essential services to the residents of aged care facilities. There is a shortage of General Practitioners across the Bega electorate. Waiting times for appointments are excessive, many General Practices have closed their books to new patients and now there is a shortage of bulkbilling options. This results in healthcare users delaying treatment which affects their health or utilising inappropriate services such as Accident & Emergency departments. Primary Health services locally need to be developed according to the following outcomes:
- Build a consumer-focused integrated primary health care system
- Improve access and reduce inequity
- Increase the focus on health promotion and prevention, screening and early intervention; and
- Improve quality, safety, performance and accountability.
Local, State and Federal Governments need to work together with Primary Health Networks to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients. The new Federal Labor Government has promised almost $1 billion in new Medicare and primary-health funding. A "Strengthening Medicare" fund aims to improve patient access to GPs in order to reduce the burden on Accident & Emergency departments.
I will be working with the Federal Member for Eden-Monaro and the Federal Member for Gilmore to improve health services in the Bega electorate. I have already organised Health Forums in Bega on July 2 and Moruya on July 9.