Patients in rural and regional South Australia will lose out under the downgrading of local medical services in South Australian country areas. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) South Australia / Northern Territory Faculty is calling for a boost to our rural health services.
"Everybody in South Australia deserves access to the best quality health care, no matter where they live. There are some positive aspects of the SA Country Health Plan, but the overall reduction of services in smaller towns will hit local communities," said Dr Rakesh Mohindra, Chair, RACGP South Australia and Northern Territory Faculty.
"Elements of this plan will spark an exodus of GPs and nurses to the city. What this means is that patients will have further to travel and this will jeopardise the health of those who can't afford it.
"With patients needing to travel further to access care, their costs will increase and there is a higher likelihood that patients will be separated from their families, right at the time that they need them most.
"We understand the government's concerns about under utilisation of beds in some hospitals. The best response to this is not to close those beds, but to increase the types of health care services offered in the hospital to offer a wider range of care to our patients, closer to where they live.
"Doctors in general practices and local hospitals are often the heart of their community; they offer a haven for the sick. A government that is committed to the best health care for South Australians would boost these services.
"Cuts to rural health are a bad prescription that will deliver a loss of skills among local medical practitioners due to loss of facilities and fewer opportunities for training and experience for existing and new practitioners; our young country doctors and nurses.
"Even worse, our ability to handle local emergencies and outbreaks of disease will be compromised.
"State Governments should protect the health of our communities, not risk it."
The state government's own GP Plus health care strategy 2007 states that it's strategies "will include working with general practitioners and other community based health care providers to make health services more accessible to people in their local communities."
"The government has to put its commitments into practice. All the international evidence shows that a well supported general practice sector is central to an effective health system. We are keen to work with the State Government to deliver the best care for our patients across the state," Dr Mohindra said.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners