Regional Australia losing essential medical services
AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson, said today that regional Australia has been hit hardest by the medical indemnity crisis.
Dr Glasson said areas where GPs perform obstetrics and other procedures are losing out.
"Towns and regions all over Australia that rely on their local GP to provide obstetric services could find themselves without anyone to deliver their babies if the medical indemnity crisis is not resolved," Dr Glasson said.
"Almost 40 per cent of GPs polled by Australian Doctor magazine said they will scale back their services or cease procedural work to reduce their risk.
"According to government figures, the number of obstetrics services provided by GPs has fallen by more than 25 per cent since 1998-1999.
"In 2001-2002, the number of obstetrics services supplied by GPs was just 434,774 - down from 595,238 in 1998-1999.
"In towns or regions where the only person medically trained to deliver babies is the local GP, there may now be no-one willing to offer this service.
"Medical indemnity is forcing a significant number of regional GPs to move away from obstetric and other procedural work.
"For example, in South Australia, up to 20 per cent of rural GPs who provide obstetric services are expected to quit the specialty.
"In order to conduct procedural work, GPs must take out the highest level of insurance cover which costs tens of thousands of dollars. This type of cover is unaffordable for rural GPs.
"Rural GPs generally work longer hours than their city counterparts and face many other difficulties because they choose to practice in the bush.
"Medical indemnity is just one of many issues making rural practice unattractive and this means country people have less access to affordable quality medical services than other Australians," Dr Glasson said.
This week is AMA Family Doctor Week. The AMA is putting the focus on the disappearance of an important Australian tradition - the local family doctor. This loss is hitting hardest in regional, rural and remote Australia.
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761
Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306