GPs thankful for cash – but it’s not enough
We have been urging the Queensland Government for action in key areas of workforce shortages
Dr Maria Boulton AMA Queensland president
The trebling of the bulkbilling incentive won’t make a huge difference to the bottom line
The federal budget has trumpeted a win for general practitioners with a tripling of the fee they receive for bulk-billing, but at least one GP in Cairns is questioning how that medicine will go down.
Dr Aileen Traves of Thrive Medical at Cairns North said it was wonderful to see this support for GPs, but it would not make a huge difference to her practice.
“In terms of money on the ground, the trebling of the bulk-billing incentive won’t make a huge difference to the bottom line,” she said, as the budget news was still settling.
“It’s important to see it, and potentially it will help those that need the services, but it still doesn’t cover the costs of keeping a general practice running.
“It’s tripling (the rebate) from $10 to $30, which sounds like a lot but it’s only for a specific number of patients.”
The bulk-billing incentive is targeted at pensioners and other Commonwealth concession card holders, and children.
“It won’t make up the gap – the cost of providing care will still exceed the funding,” Dr Traves said.
Nevertheless, she said it was good to see some movement from the government to support GPs, albeit the first increase in 10 years.
“The government is recognising that people need access to GPs, and it will reduce preswhich sure on GPs, so it’s really positive, but it’s not as exciting as some people might think,” she said.
“It’s exciting for the small number of people who it will affect, but not everyone is eligible, and it won’t change the funding for GPs for the majority of the population.”
The incentive’s cost to the federal budget is estimated at $3.5bn over five years.
The state government has also announced further investment in the medical sector it hopes will help attract and retain doctors and healthcare workers in regional Queensland.
Australian Medical Association Queensland commended the government for the move.
“We have been urging the Queensland government for action in key areas of workforce shortages and they have heeded our calls,” said AMA Queensland president Dr Maria Boulton.
“The announcement of financial incentives for interstate and international doctors to relocate to Queensland, and for doctors already in Queensland to move to rural and regional areas, will help address critical shortages.”