Govt makes it harder to attract GPs
28-May-2009
Sophie Mirabella MP, Federal Member for Indi, spoke in Parliament on Wednesday, 27 May about the effect the Rudd Labor Government’s new remoteness index classification will have on the ability of local towns to attract GPs.
“Under the new system many small towns in Indi will be placed in the same category as large regional cities such as Wodonga, Wangaratta and Shepparton – RA2 Inner Regional.”
“I am very concerned that many small towns will be worse-off under the Government’s changes,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“The new classification makes it more difficult for some small towns to attract GPs because on a relative scale there is no incentive for a doctor to work in a small town as opposed to working in a larger town,” Mrs Mirabella said.
Towns to be classified as RA2 Inner Regional include:
· Myrtleford
· Rutherglen
· Euroa
· Violet Town
· Nagambie
· Yackandandah
· Beechworth
· Chiltern
“These towns will now be forced to compete with medical clinics in locations like Shepparton, Wangaratta and Wodonga who can offer GPs the same incentives or clinics in neighbouring Bright and Mansfield who can offer GPs considerably higher incentives to relocate and stay in the town because it is classed as RA3 Outer Regional.”
“This is further evidence of the Labor Government hasn’t thought through these changes that affect rural people,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“These towns should be treated the same as towns with comparable population sizes such as Bright, Mt Beauty and Mansfield that will be able to offer a GP $4,500 after six months of service in the town. After 12 months working in RA3 Outer Regional towns a GP will receive $6,000 where after the same amount of time in a RA2 Inner Regional classified town a GP will get only $2,500.”
“Under the previous system, the Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Areas (RRMA) classification the states and territories were divided up into metropolitan, regional, rural and remote zones based on population. This is a far more sensible approach to the issue of allocating health funds to the areas most in need,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“We have worked hard over the years to make it more attractive for GPs to come to our towns. The new Government classification system could leave many towns in a worse situation and needs to be urgently reviewed,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.