The crisis in primary care is now acute, with less than 15% of graduates choosing general practice – compared to more than 40% a decade ago. The community is suffering, and general practice is burning out. Substantial investment in quality general practice as part of major health system reform has been an urgent need for more than two decades. Yet professional consensus on best ways forward, and government commitment to reform have both been hard to find.
It doesn’t happen often, but currently, there is unprecedented consensus that primary health care reform is urgently needed among national leaders and health stakeholders. There is also agreement that we must look beyond hospital funding arrangements to reshape the whole system. The primary care sector, Commonwealth and state governments, Primary Health Networks (PHNs), the Australian Medical Association, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) have all endorsed the 10 Year Primary Health Care Plan. This endorsement was reaffirmed during this year’s election cycle – and again in Canberra in May, at the Primary Health Care Reform Leaders’ Summit. The summit highlighted three necessary measures for delivery within the next 12 months: the introduction of voluntary patient registration to promote a long-term relationship with a general practice and a preferred GP; expansion of the guidelines and funding for the Workforce Incentive Program; and the introduction of local ‘Healthcare Neighbourhoods’. Taken together, these foundations will boost integrated, coordinated, multidisciplinary care. A report, Strengthening Medicare and Investing in Primary Health Care: a Roadmap for Reform, summarises these reform recommendations.
We can’t afford to lose the momentum for change. We need a RACGP President who deeply understands what is damaging quality general practice and has a proven track record in advancing quality and health system reform. Someone who is a proven advocate and change agent. And someone who is experienced in working in and with not just the college, but PHNs, regional training providers, departments of general practice and governments at both levels. In other words, a proven leader who can bring our disparate organisations and practitioners together to seize the opportunity for major reform now in front of us.
Have your say and vote for the next RACGP President. Voting is now open and closes on September 8. Eligible voters will receive an email from RACGP’s Returning Officers at OGL Group from the email address racgpreturningofficer@gmail.com. The email will contain a unique voting link to submit your vote via the BigPulse voting platform.
Make your vote count; vote now.