Visa changes to lead to GP shortage

CHANGES to Australia’s working visas will see 800 fewer doctors coming to the country over the next four years, exacerbating GP workforce shortages, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia warns.

Guild National President, George Tambassis, said the reduction in visas for doctors would hit patients from already disadvantaged areas, highlighting the need to allow pharmacists to practice to their full scope to ease pressure on GPs.

“Worsening doctor shortages are only going to leave patients worse off,” he said.

“Allowing pharmacists to work more closely with GPs to treat common ailments will free up doctors to spend more time with their patients and treating complex issues.

“Particularly in regional and outer-suburban areas, which will be worst affected by growing GP shortages, it makes sense to allow pharmacists to offer more health services to meet the needs of their communities.

“Australia has fallen behind the UK and Canada. In those countries pharmacists are allowed to practise at their full scope to prescribe and treat a range of common ailments, which has improved access to health services for patients, reduced waiting times, and reduced costs.”

The Guild added the workforce issues are likely to be further impacted by news that the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ (RACGP) Specialist Recognition Program will end next month, which will impact an estimated 400 British and Canadian GPs who would have traditionally received automatic fellowships, and will instead have to undertake additional training “drastically reducing the number of well-trained doctors coming into Australia through that system”.

A Guild spokesperson told Pharmacy Daily it was unaware of the reason for the move.

“It is a matter for the RACGP to explain the rationale of its decisions,” the spokesperson said.

“Our interest is in patients and their access to health care.”