Trade Practices Act a threat to availability of quality health services for country Australians - AMA
AMA President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, said today that the application of the Trade Practices Act 1974 on the work practices of rural doctors must be changed if patients in rural and regional Australia are to have the same access to quality health services as other Australians.
Dr Phelps was in Canberra to present the AMA's submission to the Commonwealth Review of the Impact of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA) on the Recruitment and Retention of Rural Doctors. The Prime Minister announced the Review in August this year.
"The delivery of health services to country people is a question of social equity, not competition policy," Dr Phelps said.
"Rural and regional medical practices are mostly based on small patient numbers spread across large geographic areas. To provide quality around-the-clock services, country doctors must consider collaborative arrangements with other doctors to ensure services remain available and their practices remain viable.
"These arrangements may involve cooperating on work rosters, work sharing on procedures like delivering babies, and negotiating with local hospitals to provide accessible health services for the community.
"Because of the way the ACCC is choosing to apply the TPA, country doctors are under constant fear that they will be persecuted and prosecuted for doing what is necessary to provide vital services in unique circumstances.
"While the doctors are under pressure, the big losers are country patients and country communities.
"Already reeling from the loss of banking and Telstra services and government agencies, small communities will suffer greatly without the medical services that other Australians take for granted.
"Faced with ACCC investigation and huge fines for looking after their patients, country doctors have no choice but to consider leaving town or leaving the profession.
"It is hard enough now getting young doctors to move to country areas. When the doctors already there are moving on as well, a rural doctor shortage crisis is inevitable.
"The actions of the ACCC in vigorously applying the TPA to country doctors can be described two ways - a vendetta against doctors or bureaucracy gone mad. Either way, country patients are being greatly disadvantaged. The Government's Review is most welcome," Dr Phelps said.
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761