SENIOR representatives from five peak general practice organisations met with Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Minister for Regional Health David Gillespie to discuss challenges facing GPs and the support necessary to ensure GPs can remain open and delivering the quality-of-care Australians need.
The aim of the meeting was to improve coordination for COVID-19 care within general practice and primary care sector. Patient access to GPs is essential in relieving pressure from hospital and ambulance services during the Omicron wave. GPs have already contributed a sizable proportion of the vaccine rollout and will need additional support to take on a greater role in community COVID care.
The Ministers and the Department of Health were receptive to the series of practical solutions put forward by the peak organisations to assist GPs in remaining open, including:
• Expansion of telehealth services to a scope like earlier in the pandemic, to improve access to health care during the current, and possibly future, waves. This would include primary care and specialist items which play an essential role in health care
• An adequate supply of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to GPs
• The urgent need for Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to GPs to enable them to provide a safe environment for staff and patients
• Prioritisation and urgent distribution of RATs into rural and remote areas to secure patient and practitioner access in areas where not accessible to the state-run hubs currently tasked with distributing RATs
• Support and resources for GPs to coordinate the care of COVID-positive patients in the community.
