Doctor shortages under the microscope in Whyalla next week

A Senate inquiry into doctor and other health service shortages in the regions will sit in Whyalla next week on Tuesday 1 March.

 The Whyalla hearings will provide an opportunity to share the experiences of people living in the federal electorate of Grey to ensure their voices are part of a national solution.

 Ahead of the inquiry, South Australian Senator Karen Grogan conducted a survey of the region and uncovered a number of disturbing stories about people not being able to access basic health services.

 A total of 84 per cent of respondents said they had difficulty accessing a GP in the past 12 months. The highest number of responses to the survey were from Cowell (10%), Whyalla (9%) and Wudinna (8%).

 Survey results also revealed:

·         Too many towns across regional South Australia don’t have a resident GP

·         Those who do have access to a GP often have to wait too long to get in

·         Health conditions worsening because people can’t see a doctor quickly

·         Lack of rapid antigen tests means people can’t get a face-to-face appointment

·         People increasingly driving long distances to Adelaide to access a GP

 Senator Grogan is preparing a report on the survey responses so visiting Senators can gain some insights into the problems associated with accessing basic healthcare in regional South Australia.

 Many of those surveyed say their local doctors are overworked and that communities are suffering as a result.

 Government figures show people living in Grey have had the highest increase in out-of-pocket expenses for GP visits than anywhere else in the State.

 Earlier this month, Liberal Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey, told ABC radio that GP shortages in his electorate were akin to “third world conditions”.

 Mr Ramsey then bizarrely claimed “we are overtraining doctors in Australia, we’ve got more doctors than we need."