Following the second Tasmanian election in two years to require the major parties to form minority government, the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has called on all parties and candidates to unite behind initiatives that will support strong general practice access for all Tasmanians.
Counting on election night shows no party will govern in majority, requiring independent or minor party support.
RACGP Tasmania Chair Toby Gardner said all parties had recognised health is a vital priority for most voters and urged parties to prioritise policies that will support all Tasmanians to access care through a GP who knows them.
"This was not an election anyone wanted – our patients' priority is getting the care they need, when they need it, from a GP who knows them and understands their health needs," he said.
"We've seen positive moves on access to ADHD assessment and care, filling a gap in our vaccination schedule, and attracting more GPs to practice in Tasmania. These should be a top priority for the next government.
"Allowing Tasmanians to access ADHD assessment and care through a GP is an excellent move. The clear support for this will make a big difference in many Tasmanians' lives. Too many kids and adults been missing out on care.
"We still need more GPs to serve our communities, and both parties should incentivise GPs to practice in Tasmania. We've seen some good initiatives, and this should be a priority.
"The support from both parties to make meningococcal B vaccinations free for babies will help young families stay safe and is a great example to follow, but it should be expanded to teens.
"We should be providing free booster vaccinations for whooping cough too. The $40–50 cost can make that a decision patients weigh against other costs they're facing, and lead to dangerous infections for babies who are too young to have completed their vaccinations.
"Tasmanians have higher rates of chronic disease than patients in other states. We need general practices to be strong to support our patients to get well and stay well."
But Dr Gardner warned against approaches that sound appealing on the campaign trail but will lead to a less effective, less efficient, and more fragmented healthcare system.
"Too much emphasis has been put on finding substitutes for quality medical care and announceable quick fixes that don't help most Tasmanians or address the underlying issues in our health system," Dr Gardner said.
"The biggest issue that's stretching our hospitals and adding to costs in our health system is patients being admitted and re-admitted into hospital, often due to chronic conditions.
"Our next government should invest in initiatives to give Tasmanians access to a GP who has the time to keep them well. That's where the best cost savings are.
"That means every Tasmanian having a usual GP who they see when they need to. The research clearly shows that's how you get the best health outcomes, but it's also exactly what our patients want.
"Realistically, expanding pharmacy prescribing isn't going to make much of a difference for GP access. But it will add strain to a stretched pharmacy workforce and mean that when a health issue is more complex, the patient sees a GP later than they should – potentially leading to them needing hospital care.
"There's no substitute for care from a GP who knows you, and attempting to substitute that by routing people who need care to disconnected services just adds to costs by fragmenting our health system further."
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