GPS want plan for future outbreak

GENERAL practitioners on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic have been given the chance to discuss Townsville’s medical response.

While the Federal Government’s quick response to the pandemic has been praised, GPS have highlighted the need for change as the medical world evolves in the wake of COVID-19.

While Victoria deals with a second wave of cases, Federal Government representatives are speaking with doctors across the country about what should happen next.

Northern Australia Primary Health Limited chair Dr Michael Clements said if there was no second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, there would be a pandemic of another kind in the future and the medical profession needed to be prepared.

GPS met with Dr Clements, Herbert MP Phillip Thompson and Department of Health principal medical adviser Professor Michael Kidd AM online to help inform the next stages of the government’s response.

Dr Clements said doctors had three key concerns: funding telehealth into the future, personal protective equipment for GPS amid the pandemic and increasing funding for general practitioners into the future.

Dr Clements, who also runs Fairfield Medical Centre, said the pandemic had solidified the importance of telehealth, and the need for it to stay in place when the Federal Government reviewed the practice in September.

“(We talked about the) benefit that had been to our patients … especially rural and regional patients,” he said.

When the coronavirus pandemic began, a shortage of personal protective equipment had put doctors at risk, and Dr Clements said this was a key concern.

“The supply of masks and gowns to GPS … wasn’t done very well in the early stages, and moving forward they’ve (the government) have got plans to remedy that,” he said.

The Federal Government invested $669 million into Medicare-subsidised telehealth services because of the pandemic.

Dr Clements said the pandemic had highlighted just how important GPS were.

Mr Thompson welcomed the feedback from GPS, but added he did not want to see call-centre super clinics set up outside Townsville for Townsville patients.

“They need to be local doctors looking after locals so that the personal relationship and patient history can be taken into consideration and the right follow-up care can be provided,” he said.

Mr Thompson said the Federal Government would need to stockpile PPE supplies to help in a worst-case scenario.

Dr Clements said this was NAPHL’S first step in helping GPS engage with the national health agenda.