media releases

“The Prime Minister’s announcement of a significant increase in funded training places for GPs and specialists is a welcome recognition by the Federal Government that workforce shortages must be addressed for our health system to be reformed,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society.

“The future of our health system depends upon strengthening primary healthcare,” said Dr Woodruff. “GPs are crucial to improving that care, and medical practices in areas of need are desperate for GP trainees but haven’t been able to find them. This initiative could be a real boost for such practices, if the funding model is correct.”

“Thus it is important to fund these training places by salary, rather than fee for service,” cautioned Dr Woodruff. “That is how specialist trainees in hospital are paid and that means they have the opportunity to learn rather than just provide a service. It is a funding mechanism proposed previously for GP trainees by a former Liberal Health Minister, Michael Wooldridge. Salary rather than fee for service removes perverse incentives to practice turnstile medicine. It promotes interaction with and learning from medical and non medical colleagues, which is exactly what is required to build a team based integrated approach to primary health care.”

“With plans for hospitals and medical workforce announced we await further details of reform, especially how to control the increasing privatisation of our health system and the inequity and inefficiency which inevitably accompanies it.”

Dr Tim Woodruff
President
Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
Vice President
Doctors Reform Society

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