Boost to GP training in Tasmanina, interesting figures as the Aussies are catching up to their GP training requirements
24/03/11
Original article in the Mercury http://bit.ly/dYzVml
Boost to GP training SUE NEALES | March 24, 2011 12.01am
THE Federal Government will fund five extra training places for doctors to qualify as general practitioners in Tasmania.
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon will today announce that 26 GP registrar places will be funded in Tasmania next year, to address the shortage of GPs in the local community.
The move is part of a Federal Government plan to double the number of GPs qualifying in Australia by 2014.
In Tasmania, there will be 30 GPs trained every year by 2014 double the cap of 15 funded places imposed by the former Howard federal government prior to 2008.
The Australian Medical Association estimates that, in common with many parts of regional and rural Australia, Tasmania now has a shortage of between 30 and 40 general practice-qualified doctors.
Tasmania also has a greater proportion of older GPs, with many in their late 50s keen to retire from their practices.
AMA state president Michael Aizen, himself a GP, said it was the lack of suitably trained younger GPs coming through the system to take their places that had forced many older doctors to delay their retirement.
"Another five GP training places, up from 21 last year, is a very positive move," Dr Aizen said.
"It not only means we can end up with more GPs in the community but that we can graduate more doctors from the University of Tasmania, knowing they will have specialised funded training places for them after they graduate."
Alison Turnock will qualify as a registered GP this year after graduating from the University of Tasmania medical course in 2006 and entering the GP training program in 2009.
Now working with the Aboriginal Health Service in Hobart, Dr Turnock welcomed the extra GP training places as desperately needed in a state like Tasmania, with its older population.
"There is a shortage of GPs everywhere in Tasmania, yet not every graduate doctor in my year who wanted to become a GP could get a training spot," Dr Turnock said.
"But at least now everybody is keen to see more doctors become GPs; we have to do something because many patients still find it hard to access a GP easily and the situation is only going to get worse."
Ms Roxon said delivering the extra training places was part of the Government's national health reform.
"This is all part of our determination to bring a greater focus on primary care the front line where doctors and nurses can help patients keep well and out of hospital," Ms Roxon said.
She also announced that 39 junior doctors will complete 12-week placements in GP practices in Tasmania through the Government's Prevocational General Practice Placements Program.
"Under the Howard government there was a cap of just 600 GP training places that left Australia with a chronic shortage of doctors especially in regional and remote Australia; we are determined to fix the problem."
