Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have spoken in the House many times before about this government's debits adding cuts to health services and hospitals across the nation and the harsh impact that this has, particularly on regional and rural areas. Today I am speaking about the Abbott government's changes to the model which provides incentives for GPs in regional areas. These incentives are dependent upon the health classifications of rural and remote areas under the new Modified Monash Model. Whilst I acknowledge that the new change will benefit many areas in my electorate, and indeed right throughout the country, the fact is that the reclassification of the town of Murwillumbah in my electorate of Richmond will be detrimental. I again request that the government look at providing an exemption in this case. Under the new system, Murwillumbah will be classified as MM 2. This will result in removing the incentives that had previously been in place under the old RA 2 classification which the town had. This means the incentives that attracted—and maintained—medical practitioners into the area will be completely removed. This will be detrimental to the town and, of course, for the locals in terms of their ability to access health services.

I have met with local GPs who have very serious concerns about this reclassification and the impacts it will have. I have also written to the health minister about the matter, requesting an exemption for or reclassification of the town under the new system. Just last week I received a disappointing response from Senator Nash, the Assistant Minister for Health, who unfortunately reaffirmed the government's position regarding the classification of Murwillumbah as MM 2. Whilst the decision may be based on the location of Murwillumbah and its proximity to a major town, I believe that this decision must be revisited, as the complex health needs of the people of Murwillumbah and surrounding areas require incentives to get GPs to the town.

The real concern is that the number of GPs will significantly decline due to the new classification. Some of the factors contributing to this situation are that the majority of GPs in Murwillumbah also act as VMOs for the local hospital. The burden on the hospital would be significant if GP numbers were reduced. There is also a very high proportion of elderly patients in the town and surrounding areas, with complex health needs, who require more intensive levels of ongoing care. Also the distance to specialists is very far, so local GPs are often required to do more work that would normally be referred to specialists in non-rural areas. The doctor-patient ratio has not been effectively considered in this modelling. GPs in this area do not just service the 8,000 Murwillumbah residents in town. Those in outlying areas bring the total to more than 20,000 residents. Also many of the current GPs are nearing retirement age and there is a huge need to fill all these positions. So without the ongoing incentives the task is made even more difficult. The fact is that the workload of GPs in Murwillumbah is vastly different from that in other regional and rural areas. That is why we need to have incentives in place to attract health professionals to this area. Indeed this MM 2 classification is unsuited to Murwillumbah and could only be damaging in terms of the long-term healthcare needs of the area. It really is a case, I think, of the government ignoring the local issues and the local concerns that have been put to the minister. Murwillumbah needs more GPs and the fact is less incentive means fewer doctors. So I again ask the Abbott government to please consider reclassifying or removing the MM2 classification from the town of Murwillumbah. (Time expired)