Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the opportunity to catch up with Alan Hall, the CEO of Bendigo Healthworks, a network of GP clinics in my electorate. Many in this place may remember that a few months ago I ran a survey, an investigation and roundtables into Medicare and bulk-billing in my electorate of Bendigo. I was quite shocked and horrified to find out that of the 23 clinics listed under the Bendigo postcode, 3550, only four of them 100 per cent bulk-bill and don't charge gap fees. One of the networks that does do that is Bendigo Healthworks.

Alan Hall spoke publicly, with me, to local media about the GP shortage that he is experiencing. Because he has chosen to support a low-income, low socioeconomic community he has decided not to charge a gap fee. He says that is a principled position that he has taken. While lots of other doctors bulk-bill their services, they charge a gap fee. Something the Minister for Health always fails to acknowledge when he talks about bulk-billing rates is the number of people who are paying out-of-pocket gap fees. Alan doesn't charge a gap fee and, as a result of that, he is struggling to recruit doctors to come and work at his clinic. They can't make as much money working at his clinic as they can at other clinics where gap fees are charged. For example, one doctor's surgery up the road from Healthworks charges $80 per consultation; therefore the individual patient is out of pocket just under $50. That is a lot for someone on a low income. Alan's decided not to do that and, because of that, he is now experiencing a GP shortage.

Alan spoke publicly about the need for Bendigo to be put back on the District of Workforce Shortage list so he has the ability to recruit experienced and trained overseas doctors to Bendigo to work in his clinic, to ensure that those on the smallest of incomes in an area of socioeconomic need can, in fact, get access to GPs. Alan said his preference is always to take Australian trained doctors; however, we don't have enough. We don't have enough doctors with the skills and experience to be able to work in Bendigo. Long term, the focus of any government needs to be recruiting and training more doctors here in Australia who can work in general practice. What we also need to do is lift the Medicare rebate to ensure that more clinics can lower their gap fees or have no gap fees, like Alan is doing at Healthworks. I support Alan in his call for Bendigo to be put back on the District of Workforce Shortage list. We need to have doctors in Bendigo, particularly in areas like Kangaroo Flat, Golden Square and Eaglehawk.