Australia has a growing GP crisis as many areas have no GPs left. There are an estimated 2,400 full-time equivalent positions still unfilled nationwide as well. This ongoing shortfall is forcing a continued strain on healthcare services, especially in rural and remote communities. Faced with such despairing news, authorities were determined to protect their GPs. Meredith Hammat, Planning Chief at the state DOT, has helped shepherd discussions to develop new approaches that tackle this urgent concern.
Meredith Hammat, with DMH mock-up Meredith underscore her department is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to strengthen the GP workforce. We’re always looking for new opportunities to assist GPs, as she said in her remarks at our forum. She underscored their unswerving commitment to continue addressing the plight of health care workers across the nation.
The Journey of International Doctors
Meet Dr. Izhar Hashim, a former specialist doctor from Malaysia who recently moved his practice to Australia. His experience is not unique and illustrates the challenges faced by international doctors who reach our shores seeking an opportunity to contribute to the Australian health system. Dr. Hashim criticized the fellowship process as “long and unnecessarily complicated.” He underscored that this complexity sometimes drives away otherwise qualified individuals from entering this burgeoning labor force.
Dr. Hashim shared his concerns and irritations about the system’s inefficiencies. He went on to explain that having to submit the same documents to two different agencies because of multiple regulatory bodies feeds into the issue. With existing regulatory complications, it’s hard for new doctors to break through. Consequently, these challenges push back the time they can first begin to earn a wage.
Nicole Wong, who recently moved to Karratha, is another such international doctor finding her way through these complicated scenarios. Throughout her second term of training as a GP, Wong fully engaged in her vocation of learning. She was deeply committed to developing herself in her new position. “I enjoy camping. I like being out in nature,” Wong shared, highlighting her adaptation to life in a remote area despite the challenges of rural practice.
The Impact on Rural Communities
Every day rural communities across Australia are feeling the brunt of the GP crisis. Clinics are shuttering and access to healthcare services is tanking. Earlier this year, the only GP surgery in Northamptonshire’s Blakelands constituency closed its doors. The shutdown was the culmination of ongoing funding and staffing crises. One local practice in Broome was forced to shut up shop. They weren’t able to identify a physical applicable supervisor who could keep an eye on their training practitioners.
Michael Clements pointed to an underlying issue. Though many practices are working to cut through red tape, the motive of making healthcare more accessible is often eclipsed by financial incentives. He admitted finding GPs with the capacity to supervise trainees was still one of their biggest bugbears. “Having no GP in a regional town is better than having an unsafe one,” Clements stressed.
In favor of this technology and in response to these supervisory shortages, Phillip Coelho explained that technology has advanced to help avoid some of these issues. It is a great help, just to have that supervisor in the room. There’s no reason why another physician can’t be in the room virtually.
Navigating Bureaucratic Obstacles
The bureaucratic hurdles that internationally trained doctors must jump through can take years off their otherwise quick entry into the healthcare workforce. Dr. Hashim shared his own stories navigating through immigration processes. He was warmly received as a GP when he arrived back in Australia. He particularly remembered that the first time he was in the airport, the immigration agents were really happy. They were really thrilled that he was a general practitioner.
Dr. Hashim expressed sadness over the long period of time it took to receive the required approvals. You literally have to wait until the last minute to do anything. That is so incredibly frustrating to have to operate under,” he added. These kinds of delays make many highly skilled and experienced specialists choose not to even come to Australia for the opportunity.
Dr Keith Figueiredo, who oversees Wong’s training in Karratha, said it was crucial to keep lines of communication open with trainees. “On a weekly basis I’ll debrief with Nicole about cases or issues that she’s seen come up,” he said. This mentorship is an essential piece of the puzzle, helping fill gaps caused by regulatory hurdles.
