A significant proportion of Northern NSW residents are struggling to get a GP appointment and some are waiting a week or more to see their local doctor, a recent survey has found.
Going to emergency instead of GP
As the nation-wide shortage of healthcare workers continues, a survey of local residents undertaken by Amplar Health found that nearly one in three respondents had to wait a week or longer to see their doctor.
This was more than double the national average, which stood at 13 per cent.
The survey also found that the challenges of getting intoseeaGPinatimely fashion were forcing some locals to present to a hospital emergency department with a non-urgent ailment.
Close to a quarter of survey respondents said they had been to the emergency department for a non-urgent medical problem during the course of their lifetime.
The survey was conducted electronically via an external research agency, with nearly 630 Australians surveyed, including those both in and outside the Northern NSW catchment.
Dr Peter Baird, Senior Medical Advisor with Amplar Health, said he was unsurprised to hear that more than a third (40 per cent) of locals were concerned about accessibility to healthcare.
‘The survey findings are consistent with our engagement of local clinicians and community members,’ Dr Baird said.
‘Northern New South Wales locals are concerned about healthcare access and are in favour of additional healthcare services to address non-urgent medical needs.’
24-hour telehealth service
The survey findings were timed to coincide with the launch of a new 24-hour telehealth service – North Coast Connect.
The service connects locals with qualified nurses who provide clinical support and advice to patients over the phone or via online chat. Where deemed clinically
appropriate, nurses can also organise for the patient to see a GP face-to-face, or schedule an appointment with a pharmacist.
Eligible residents must be based in or around Northern NSW, a full list of available suburbs can be viewed on the organisation’s website.
A Care Workforce
Labour Market Study commissioned by the Australian government in 2021 predicted a gap of more than 200,000 full-time care workers across Australia by 2050.
Health Workforce Australia verified this estimate to confirm a shortage of more than 100,000 nurses and more than 2,700 doctors within the next three years.
The 2021–2031 National Medical Workforce Strategy, published by the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, has prioritised actions to rebalance the maldistribution of doctors, reform medical training pathways, and build generalist capability in the incoming medical workforce.
Are you sure it’s called ‘North Coast Connect’?
So this survey, that’s done in a dodgy way, had its ‘results’ released just in time for the launch of this private company’s government funded program, justifying the existence of said program? Nothing to see here. Move along taxpayer.
People go to the emergence for non-critical issues, before they know it’s non-critical. There is usually pain or panic involved. How many people get pushed to go to emergency when they don’t want to, just to find out they would have died if they waited 2 days for a GP appointment?
If you, or someone around you, has reason to be concerned for your immediate survival, just go to emergence and get checked out. It’s what they are there for. They don’t expect you to know the difference.
If you think the situation is bad here, try getting a medical appointment in regional and rural areas that are far less attractive for doctors to live in. Two days? Try 6 weeks!
Not in QLD. 7 days max, even out in the desert.
You must have a really great state government!