Casey doctor shortage ‘critical’

By Alison Noonan
THE doctor shortage in Casey has reached crisis point, with just one full-time GP for 1833 residents.
The Commonwealth Health Department regards areas with a ratio of 1400 people to one full-time equivalent GP as areas of need.
The federal electorate of Holt, which includes Endeavour Hills, Doveton, Eumemmerring, parts of Narre Warren and Berwick, Hallam, Hampton Park, and Cranbourne, now has the fifth highest doctor shortage in Victoria and the 12th highest in Australia.
Dandenong Division of General Practice CEO Anne Peek said Cranbourne was the worst-affected part of Casey and had been classified as an area of workforce shortage by the Federal Government.
“Once an area has been designated an area of workforce shortage they are offered incentives and subsidies to attract GPs to the area.
“Workforce shortages are a real issue for the community,” she said.
Ms Peek attributed the dire shortage to the massive population growth in the area.
“In areas of rapid growth the demand for GPs can’t keep up with the growth of the community.
“We could do more to provide practical nurse support, which would free GPs to do more hands-on clinical type work.
“I think expanding the subsidisation of practice nurses and looking at the wages of GPs would also help to attract more doctors and nurses,” she said.
Holt MP Anthony Byrne said the figures were alarming, given that the area had the state’s highest population of children and couple families with dependent children.
“The chronic shortage of doctors in Holt means it is more than just an area of need – it requires decisive action,” he said.
“Families in Holt now face long waiting lists to see a GP when their children are ill and struggle to find any doctor open outside business hours.”
Mr Byrne attributed the shortage to a lack of university and GP training places.
“The real answer is to train more young Australians who want to practise medicine and give incentives to GPs to remain in the workforce and practise in outer suburban areas,” he said.