MEDIA RELEASE
For release 1 March 2006
ILLAWARRA DOCTORS SAY WORKFORCE CONTINUING TO DECLINE
Illawarra General Practitioners say workforce numbers are continuing to decline placing pressure on all GPs across the region. The IDGP welcomes and supports the University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine (GSM) as a long term solution to the region's medical workforce shortage.
Anecdotal evidence collected through the Illawarra Division of General Practice (IDGP) suggests that the workforce shortage problem is continuing to rise across the Illawarra region. Recent statistics collected by the IDGP indicate a significant change in GP to patient ratios across the region, in particular for the Kiama LGA. Numbers show that there is currently 1GP for every 2108 people (National average 1:11541). This decrease in GP access places this community well above the national and state averages.
"Patients are the ones who are losing. In some areas of the Illawarra, people are having to wait weeks to get an appointment with their local doctor,” said Wollongong GP, Dr Rene Dostal.
"We need systemic solutions to issues such as primary care workforce, coordination and integration of care between general practice, community health and hospitals, and a sustained focus on population health and prevention. We also need to focus on long term solutions to increase the numbers of GPs available to support our community, which include the new GSM," said Dr Rene Dostal
GPs within the Illawarra are supporting the GSM, with more than 100 Illawarra GPs having been appointed to honorary academic positions within the GSM. This reflects the interest the regions GPs have in being involved with the GSM and seeing it succeed.
"They see how the success of the GSM will play a key role in securing the future of medical care in the region. GPs will be involved in training medical students in various aspects of medicine, sharing their experience and expertise through clinical placements within general practice or by being involved in tutorial and lectures.
“It will take a generation to get the medical workforce back to workable levels. With 10 or more years of training required, you cannot train and create a medical workforce overnight. But with the collaboration of the GSM, the Illawarra Division of General Practice, and our local GPs, we are moving in the right direction," said Dr Rene Dostal
1 General Practice Activity in the States and Territories of Australia 1998-2003, GP Statistics and Classification Unit
Media contact: Monique Piper, Community Relations Manager on 42267052 or 0413132479.
