Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips said they will be asking the Health Minister "serious questions" about how non-Distribution Priority Areas are determined on the South Coast amid concerns of doctor shortages.
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Residents in the Bay and Basin are concerned about the "sudden loss" of GPs in the area, with the last GP in Sanctuary Point set to retire in July 2021.
Distribution Priority Areas identify locations where people don't have enough access to doctors, based on the needs of the community.
Health Minister Greg Hunt outlined in a letter that under the Stronger Rural Health Strategy, which aims to redistribute the health workforce particularly in rural areas, "Nowra and towns in the surrounding area are non-DPA."
Mrs Phillips said the government wasn't taking into account the aging population of the South Coast.
"The government just hasn't done enough to help," she said.
"And we're seeing that play out in the Bay and Basin area. I think there's some serious questions around how they determine the Distribution Priority Areas.
"The government isn't taking into account the demographics, like the elderly population that we have. So we'll be going back to the Minister [Greg Hunt] to make sure that is taken into account as a genuine and real need in our area."
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Longstanding Sanctuary Point resident Les Boucher, who has a myriad of health problems that he seeks treatment for, said he is concerned about what will happen to other elderly residents who don't have access to transport to see doctors in surrounding areas.
Mr Boucher said he asked South Coast MP Shelley Hancock to push the government to offer incentives for more doctors to come to the area, and more imporantly, stay there.
Mrs Hancock assured communication about the issue had been directed to Minister Hunt and that it's "over to the federal government" to find a solution.
"I'm in support of the concerns about the lack of GPs in the Sanctuary Point area, but trying to find the solutions to do that is really down to the federal government," she said.
"They've got to really demonstrate how they can deliver more GPs to our area where in fact, GPs make the choices to where they set up their businesses.
"I think there needs to be some kind of reform of the system whereby there's real incentives for GPS to come through our rural and regional areas, because I think it's going to be a growing trend."
Medicare overhaul
Mr Albanese and Mrs Phillips also criticised the Morrison governments overhaul to Medicare.
From July 1, more than 900 items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), including general, orthopaedic, and cardiac surgery, will be changed following a five-year review.
Changes to medicare can also affect how health workers are distributed to priority areas, as international medical graduates who are GPs need to work in an area classified DPA to access Medicare.
"I think what we've seen is the biggest attacks by the government on Medicare and not supporting our regional areas. And we're seeing that play out in the Bay and Basin area," said Mrs Phillips.
"Back in 2020, I made some representations on behalf of some local GPS, because that then impacts a number of things. So it impacts the ability to allow overseas trained doctors to come and work in the surgery.
"Unfortunately, the government hasn't changed anything. But I think obviously it's a classic example of where the government needs to be doing more."
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