GPs demand respect from government

Joint Media Release  -  Queensland GP Alliance                                                                                 
GPs say patients must come first, demand respect from government

Queensland general practitioners universally refute any attempts to shift the blame for emergency department overcrowding and ambulance ramping on to primary care, calling it a slap in the face to the state’s hardworking GPs and their practice staff, who have been on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is insulting to patients who are underfunded to access general practice care.

“This week we have celebrated World Family Doctor Day, a day when our government should be thanking GPs for their dedication during the pandemic and beyond,” Chair of Queensland GP Alliance Dr Matt Masel said.

Dr Masel, the incoming president of Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ), was responding to media reports Wednesday that Deputy Premier Steven Miles blamed primary care failures for increasing public hospital pressures.

“The Deputy Premier has claimed that he was taken out of context on Wednesday and that people can’t get appointments with their GPs or that GPs are too expensive or too far away,” Dr Masel said.

“He blames the federal government for not investing in general practice. On that we can agree with him. Funding for access to primary care is inadequate. But the Queensland government needs to fix hospitals and not try to shift blame.” 

The Queensland GP Alliance is a collaboration between Queensland’s four general practice peak bodies; Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMA Queensland), Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and RDAQ. 

General practice is of a singular view, that the federal systems failings don’t excuse the Queensland Government risking patient safety and the viability of general practice. Proposals like allowing pharmacists with four years of training to take over the work of GPs with a decade or more of training under their belt disrespects GPs and puts patients at risk.

GPs have been at the frontline caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for patients with COVID-19, managing increased mental health issues and have provided more than 60% of the total COVID-19 vaccines in the state.

They have done this with very little resourcing from both levels of government. GPs prevent, diagnose and treat disease, keeping patients away from hospital. All levels of government need to support general practice so that Queenslanders continue to have access to safe, effective and evidence-based healthcare.

Queensland GP Alliance partners have been sounding warnings for years that our hospitals are at crisis point and that a COVID-19 could push our hospitals to breaking point.

AMA Queensland President Professor Chris Perry said the Deputy Premier was recklessly blaming primary care.

“Instead of acting on our warnings, we see the Deputy Premier making unfounded claims that the pressure on EDs is because GPs are turning away respiratory patients,” Prof Perry said. 

“GPs are continuing to care for respiratory patients around the state.”

Both general practice colleges agree. The Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) warn the only way we can fix growing GP shortages is to make general practice more attractive to more medical graduates. 

This is not possible when we have governments at all levels and on both sides of politics making it increasingly financially untenable for patients to access general practice care.

Dr Masel warns, “It is a slap in the face for GPs and will do nothing to fix medical workforce shortages in Queensland. Government needs to put patients first.”