Riverview Medical Practice secures two new GP registrars amidst GP shortage crisis

Doctors Dominic Goh and Sumeet Sandhu joined the Practice on February 6, giving Riverview five GPs currently on staff.

Practice Manager Nicky Jardine said it's a big win for the practice to get these new doctors.

"GP registrars... are very scarce at the moment around Australia, and a lot of regions haven't been able to get registrars. But we've been very lucky, we had a lot of applicants and we managed to secure two GP registrars that are at the end of their GP training," she said.

"They're doing well... they're very proactive doctors. We've been very, very lucky."

These doctors are also fully trained in Australia, which Ms Jardine said is important - as doctors trained internationally require supervision.

"We can't really take overseas GPs, because they require a level 1 supervision... [which means] every single patient they see, one of our doctors has to see the patient there afterwards. So it's no point, taking an overseas GP," said Ms Jardine.

This GP intake has come ahead of a possible decade-long GP shortage across Australia, which has already been felt acutely in rural and regional areas, including the Blue Mountains.

The shortage has become progressively worse over recent years, to the point that last year the federal government reclassified parts of the Blue Mountains region.

This change was designed to help Blue Mountains practices recruit internationally trained GPs, by making it a Distribution Priority Area (DPA).

Internationally trained doctors can access Medicare in Australia by working in a DPA, an incentive to help regional areas attract more GPs.

But Ms Jardine said the change has done little for Riverview Medical Practice - as the required supervision for internationally trained doctors is still prohibitive.

"I don't think any of the governments really understand what's going on, I don't think they're talking to grassroots people and finding out how bad it is across Australia," said Ms Jardine.

"I think I just wanted to flag with the local community how difficult it is to operate a medical practice now when you've got constant problems with shortage of doctors, and then the Medicare crisis as well."

Katoomba Medical Practice Manager, Lorraine Parker, said the situation is difficult in the Upper Mountains.

"I've got doctors that are burning out here... patients can't get in for appointments," she said.

"Katoomba won't have any practices soon. I'm struggling to keep this practice open."

She said part of the issue is that if a doctor goes to Blackheath or Lithgow they get full Medicare rebate and a pathway to a fellowship, but they don't receive this at Katoomba.

Ms Parker said this has made it difficult to find new GPs.

"We all just feel like giving up... I've been trying to get a doctor up here for over [3] years," she said.

Wentworth Healthcare CEO Lizz Reay said that while achieving DPA status for the Blue Mountains was a step in the right direction, there is more work to be done to address critical workforce shortages.

"We encourage and support investment in new funding models through MBS [Medicare benefits schedule] reforms that make general practice more sustainable and appealing to new medical graduates," she said.

Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman told the Gazette she is happy for Riverview's success, but remains well aware of the GP shortage crisis.

"I'm so pleased that two new young doctors are choosing to be GPs and work in our wonderful lower Blue Mountains," she said.

"There is a critical shortage of GPs that is affecting wait times and access to a doctor across the region, and in fact the country. Unfortunately, there are too few medical students opting for general practice which is one reason why we are facing a national shortage."

She also said changing health issues have put strain on an old system, and said the Albanese Government has made it a priority to rebuild the primary care system to accommodate these changes.

"The current primary health system... was designed for a very different time. It was really a time when you went to a doctor with short episodes of illness that were fixed and then you didn't come back until your next episode," Ms Templeman said.

"But with an older population, with much more chronic disease and more mental health issues, a GP's role is very different... I know there is a lot of work left to do to ensure communities like ours in the Blue Mountains get the best medical care possible and we've committed $750 million to deliver the highest priority investments to primary care."

To learn more about Distribution Priority Areas, visit the government website at https://www.health.gov.au/topics/rural-health-workforce/classifications/dpa.