Towns suffer with no GP

NSW Rural Doctors Network CEO Richard Colbran said while larger regional centres such as Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo are less likely to experience severe health workforce shortages, smaller rural and remote locations such as Grenfell, Nyngan and Lightning Ridge can find it challenging to recruit GPs.

“It is a particular challenge to recruit to … remote Central West towns and consequently the turnover rate can be higher than usual. Last year Grenfell experienced great difficulties replacing its second GP,” he said.

“Until recently Nyngan had difficulties finding adequate GP coverage for its Multi Purpose Service.”

Trundle is being serviced by a GP locum three days a week, Mr Colbran said, while Tullamore has an outreach service two days per week from one of the GPs based in Tottenham.

The number of GPs practising in rural and remote areas had grown in the past 10 years, he said, but the rise has not been sufficient.

Mr Colbran said the demand for health services and providers often outstripped supply and the turnover of doctors in rural areas was not considered high.

“However, the impact of a GP relocating from a small rural town without an immediate replacement can be significant on the community,” he said.

Mr Colbran said the average age of a rural GP was about 50 years, with more than 30 per cent aged over 55.

“This becomes an issue for policy makers as more rural doctors approach retirement,” he said.

“Meanwhile, over the past 10 years, there has been a decline in the average length of time that GPs have been in their current practice, and a marked reduction in the average number of hours worked. This impacts on patient continuity and requires ongoing recruitment and attraction efforts.”

There was no silver bullet, Mr Colbran said, but initiatives such as rural training, financial support and GP succession planning all helped.