COVID-19: Where Is the Support for General Practice?
“We have an emerging threat. We have a worried population. General practices are at the forefront of the response,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society. “But we hear little to support them, either from the Federal or State Governments.”
“The WA Health Minister was reported as saying (West Australian, 5 March) that it was inappropriate that GPs were ‘rejecting’ patients who were concerned about COVID-19 and directing them to an Emergency Department”, said Dr Woodruff. “The Minister’s words sadly reflect a complete misunderstanding of first response carers in emergencies. Every surf life saver, paramedic, and emergency service worker knows that in an emergency, safety of the emergency responder is the first priority. What use is an electrocuted SES volunteer or a drowned surf life saver? What use is a GP who assesses a patient one day and dies a week later, having exposed his/her staff and family members to a potentially fatal infection?”
“General practice is the site of first responders in this emerging COVID-19 scenario. GPs, practice nurses, and reception staff need every support to help the many patients who are understandably concerned about the problem.”
“State Governments need general practice to step up to help deal with the problem”, said Dr Woodruff. “Without such help, the burden on their overstretched public hospitals will be even greater than it is. But general practices simply do not currently have the resources to do that safely. They need time, money, space, and personal protective equipment. It is not being provided.”
“The Federal Government is the funder of general practice. It has the funds to support general practice, including funding telephone consultations. It has the power to control the distribution of personal protective equipment but almost nothing has been offered. It has the capacity to recognise that support for general practices will limit the potentially disastrous consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak. But” said Dr Woodruff, “to date patients and their doctors have not been advised of any plan!”
” It is great that the Federal Government has been working hard on the big picture regarding the spread from overseas and the containment, where possible, of local spread. It needs to do much more.”
“What is its plan for our first responders, particularly our general practices?, asked Dr Woodruff. “Is it ‘you’re on your own mate’ or will it demonstrate some leadership and announce a comprehensive support package for general practice.”
“Minister Hunt, can you tell us your plan?”
“State Health Ministers, can you request more support for general practice so your hospitals can cope?”
Below is a letter to the WA Health Minister from a Western Australian DRS member regarding Minister’s
