Rural Health Workforce

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. What action has the minister taken to alleviate the shortage of GPs in regional areas, noting that the minister has stated that regional areas are 60 doctors short?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:01): The key initiative that the Marshall Liberal government has taken in terms of the rural health workforce is a four-year commitment to a rural health workforce strategy. I should stress that this does relate to the medical workforce but it also relates to the broader workforce.

I am sure that part of responding to the challenges faced by rural communities in terms of the health workforce is making sure that all of our health professionals work to their scope of practice and work together in a complementary way. An example of that would be the SAVES program, whereby technology is used to link country-based nurses with our medical personnel in Adelaide so that they can support emergency services in country hospitals.

In terms of the medical workforce in particular, there is a workshop being held on 9 May which is looking at developing pathways for medical practitioners, particularly in country South Australia. The Marshall Liberal government was elected with a commitment to double the number of medical interns in country South Australia, in partnership with the commonwealth. That has already been delivered. From this year, the number of medical interns has doubled, going from five to 12. In January 2019, seven interns commenced duties at Mount Gambier and five at Whyalla.

I think it's important to recognise that the Whyalla cohort in particular will be engaged in general practices. Whyalla is already providing support to practices on Eyre Peninsula. Upper Eyre Peninsula is a particular hotspot for GP services. I won't say the number of days, but I am certainly aware that there is a Whyalla general practice that is providing support to Cowell.

With the medical interns based at Whyalla, as part of the Marshall Liberal government's doubling of the number of medical interns in country South Australia, those students will be participating in GP practice not just in Whyalla but also in Port Lincoln and in other parts of the region. That's an example of where investing in training is also an opportunity for the state government to contribute to the development of the medical workforce.

In the middle of a federal election campaign, I would remind all parties in the federal parliament to remember that the commonwealth government is primarily responsible for the education, training and support of the primary health workforce, and particularly GPs.

We are a partner, as is local government, but the primary responsibility of Medicare-funded GP services, whether in rural, regional or metropolitan Australia, is a commonwealth government one. Whoever gets elected to be the commonwealth government after the next election, I will be very keen to work with them to make sure that we address the rural medical workforce shortage in South Australia because South Australia isn't alone and a lot of the levers are in the hands of the commonwealth.