A Rebecca White Labor Government will work with key stakeholders to rebuild and upskill Tasmania’s general practitioner workforce.
A Labor Government will attract and retain workers by supporting them with opportunities to undertake training and enabling doctors to upskill in emergency medicine.
As a first step, a Labor Government will convene a roundtable with the Federal Government, Australian Medical Association, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and the University of Tasmania to develop a General Practice Workforce Plan for Tasmania.
Through these discussions, we will work together to build a sustainable GP workforce model so all Tasmanians can have more opportunities to access bulk billing and timely visits to their GP.
We would also attract 40 new GPs to the state through a scholarship program with the RACGP, which would require the GP to stay and work in regional practice in Tasmania for at least two years after becoming fully qualified.
Labor would also provide a once-off $2 million investment to allow 50 already practicing GPs to undertake emergency care training.
These doctors would remain living and working in Tasmania, with the training allowing Tasmanians to access better emergency care close to home, relieving pressure on our larger public hospitals.
Right now, there are more than 3000 children waiting to see a paediatrician who are fully occupied supplying scripts to already diagnosed children with ADHD.
We know that our paediatricians are swamped with requests for appointments and that is why Labor will follow with other states and legislate to allow co-prescribing with GPs and longer mandatory review periods in stable patients.
This will enable GPs to work with our paediatricians to relieve some of the pressure currently felt in that speciality and providing peace of mind to parents whose child need this medication.
To protect Tasmanians from having to pay more when they visit their doctor, Labor has ruled out the introduction of a GP payroll tax.
In our first 100 days, we will ensure that a ruling is provided to exempt GP contractors from a payroll tax and if required, we will legislate to provide this exemption. This position has been welcomed by the RACGP.
The Liberals have had 10 years to come up with solutions to our GP shortage but all they have done in this time is stick their head in the sand.
The Liberals need to go. If they haven’t addressed it in 10 years, they never will. Don’t give them 14.
A Labor Government has a practical plan to attract and retain GPs to our state, providing a better future for all Tasmanians.
THE DETAILS:
- Attract 40 New GPs - $880,000 a year for four years
- Support Kids with ADHD
- GP Workforce Plan, including a commitment to rural generalist training at the Mersey Community Hospital and the employment of Rural Generalists across our district hospitals.
- Emergency Care Training for 50 Regional Doctors - $2 million once-off investment
Anita Dow MP
Shadow Minister for Health, Mental
Health and Wellbeing