Since 2002 Australia has seen a 4% reduction in the number of general practitioners, including Registrars (GPs in training), while specialists and specialists in training have increased by almost 10%. GP supply has now fallen every year since 2002.
"We know that high quality general practice offers better health outcomes and a fairer health system. A declining general practice workforce means poorer health outcomes and increased health costs," said Dr Chris Mitchell, RACGP President and a GP in Northern NSW.
"Our GP workforce is ageing, with the average age of general practitioners now 50. It is essential that before these GPs retire we harness their skills to train the next generation of doctors.
"The increase in training numbers for the Australian General Practice Training Program to 675 for 2009 is appreciated, but we still need a long term strategy to build the program to reach 1,500 places by 2015.
"We also need further commitment to the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program. This program fills the 'black hole' between undergraduate and vocational training. This is the time many graduates are lost to general practice. The PGPPP works for retention of students in general practice training, with data showing three fold increases in retention. The program was initiated by RACGP National Rural Faculty foundation member Dr Clive Auricht in Cleve, SA, in 1996.
"We will turn around the workforce problems for general practice by reducing red tape, improving rewards for quality care, particularly more complex care, and through essential investment in general practice infrastructure, but we need to start now."
You can read more about United General Practice Australia here: www.racgp.org.au/ugpa
