Federal health minister Mark Butler says the government has "no higher priority" than fixing the nation's GP crisis but has warned there is no "quick fix" to the problem.
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His comments follow a dire warning that regional towns without adequate medical services are much more likely to die.
The rural chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Associate Professor Michael Clements, said some towns had developed a reputation for their lack of healthcare.
Speaking to the Gazette during a visit to Springwood on November 2, Mr Butler acknowledged the seriousness of the problem.
"We've got, frankly, a crisis in general practice right across the country and it's more severe in rural and regional areas... The major theme leading into the election right through the country was it's never been harder to see a GP and it's never been more expensive," he said.
Mr Butler said this was partly caused by supply challenges made worse by COVID-19 but also because "fewer and fewer medical graduates are choosing to go into general practice".
Last week's federal budget included a package to increase incentives to attract medical professionals to regional areas, he said.
"But we're not pretending there is any quick fix to this. I think general practice is in its worst shape in the history of Medicare. I'm very open about that," he said.
"Apart from the issue of aged care, our entire health policy was about how do you turn around general practice. Because if we can't [turn it around] then all of the challenges of general practice end up either hollowing out regional communities, or in the cities, end up at emergency departments."
The issue was set to be discussed at the next meeting of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce on November 4, he said. Due to report recommendations to the government by end of 2022, this body was set up in July to find solutions to challenges like GP access.
Mr Butler had a simple message to regional communities: "We have no higher priority across health than rebuilding general practice. It's the backbone of our healthcare system and it's in real crisis right now."
