Attracting GPs in training to work in Canberra

Peak body for general practitioners says the ACT government must attract more GPs to train and work in Canberra

Transcript

00:00National data shows Canberra has the lowest number of GPs per person

00:04when compared to every other capital city in Australia.

00:07The peak body for GPs, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners,

00:12said that the fastest and best way to attract GPs to Canberra

00:16is to attract GPs in training.

00:18I spoke to a GP in training, Dr Chris Dickey, at the ANU Medical School,

00:23and he says becoming a general practitioner is his dream career.

00:27I think as a GP, one of the key things is connection to people.

00:30So when I used to work in emergency, you'd see people as a one-off,

00:33and you might never see them again.

00:34Sometimes you do, but most of the time you don't.

00:36Whereas in general practice, you can develop relationships

00:38with individual people, with families,

00:40and you really get to understand the context of their healthcare

00:42more than you do on a single one-off visit to the emergency department,

00:45which is stressful in a different way.

00:47Switching specialties from emergency to general practice

00:51has been a massive change for the doctor.

00:53He said incentive payments for GPs in training like him

00:56offered in other states like Victoria and Queensland worth $40,000

01:01would be a huge help to continue their journey in Canberra.

01:05I lost quite a significant part of my income.

01:07So actually for myself, it was in the region of probably 40% of my income was less.

01:11And even for kind of a doctor who's just started,

01:14at that earlier point than perhaps I am,

01:16they'd still be losing about 10% by going into GP training.

01:19So this incentive helps make up some of that.

01:21It also helps pay in some of these other jurisdictions

01:23towards the costly exams and helps offset some of that balance.

01:28So if you're thinking about general practice,

01:30it's less of a barrier when you have to think about that financial aspect.