The new federal health minister has identified the looming shortage of general practitioners as the most pressing medium to long-term challenge in the health system.
Butler said the issue had been discussed in the first meeting of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce on Friday, and he was told that several decades ago more than half of all graduates had applied for general practice.
Butler said the results of the single employer model in the Murrumbidgee would inform a possible further trial in South Australia. “Far too many of our young doctors are not choosing to go into general practice, which is the area we have the greatest predictive need in the future,” Murphy said.“Some colleagues and many of the general practice groups say that some of their other specialist colleagues are earning more money for the same or less hard work, so that’s part of it - the reward for the job.”
“We’re still at the stage where we have come into medicine because we care about people and want to make a difference in the community,” Davis said. “Most students, if they get adequate exposure to general practice and have a good experience would be very likely to go into the career.” Murphy said the government had “massively expanded” the John Flynn Placement Program to expose junior doctors to general practice, especially in rural and regional areas. This is a voluntary program.
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