GPs in snub to southside
A CAIRNS doctor has questioned policy which sends doctors to the city’s northern beaches when the southside, with its burgeoning population, is crying out for GPs.
Plaza Family Health Centre’s Dr Chris Goodall said it was becoming increasingly difficult to attract and retain GPs in his clinic.
He said staff were forced to turn away up to 25 patients a day and other patients sometimes had to wait up to a week for an appointment.
He said representatives from 40 practices turned up at a recent Far North Primary Health Network meeting on January 24, showing the concern was shared across the city.
“The southside of Cairns has a low socio-economic population, about 11 per cent of our patients are indigenous,” he said.
“Add to that the growing population. We have gone from five doctors to two.”
He said many registrar level doctors weren’t interested in owning a GP practice and preferred to work part-time.
“It just becomes a waste of time advertising for a doctor. You could put an ad in saying we pay $5000 a week and offer a house and a car and still no one would apply.
“They’re well paid, work part-time, take time off to go on holidays, that leaves no one to take responsibility.
“They’ve knocked the HECS off for teachers, maybe we need to look at something similar for doctors. If money isn’t going to attract them, I don’t know what will.”
Dr Goodall said areas north of Cairns were designated Districts of Workforce Shortage for doctors and as such were identified as a priority for staff.
AMA Queensland vicepresident Dr Michael Cleary said residents were entitled to equal access to medical care.
“AMA Queensland advocates strongly for improved health facilities to encourage more medical graduates and junior doctors to regional areas like Cairns,” he said.