Australian Doctor Australian Doctor 30th June 2017 | Page 5

Paramedics given new
powers to refer to GPs
GEIR O’ROURKE
GPs in NSW are being told
to expect phone calls and
written referrals from para-
medics to discuss patients
seen for low-severity call-
outs.
Paramedics in the state
have been given the extra
options under new proto-
cols designed to keep non-
emergency patients out of
hospital.
GPs nominated by the
patient will receive a brief
condition summary from
the paramedic before they
decide between accepting
them at their rooms or send-
ing them to an ED for treat-
ment.
If no GP is available to
take the call, the treating
paramedic is given discre-
tion to leave a patient at
home if possible.
Paramedics will also be
encouraged to write letters
of referral to GPs, docu-
menting the reasons for the
Paramedics
will also be
encouraged to
write letters of
referral to GPs,
documenting
the reasons for
the call-out,
treatment given
and details of
the patient’s
condition.
call out, treatment given
and details of the patient’s
condition.
NSW Ambulance has
written to GPs saying they
are unlikely to receive more
than two calls per day from
paramedics.
“It won’t be every GP
who sees two patients a day,
and GPs can say yes or no to
accepting the patient,” said
a NSW ambulance spokes-
woman.
Changing demographics
of triple 000 patients mean
that up to 40% could be
treated outside an ED, she
said.
“For many of these
patients, the GP is the per-
son who knows them the
best and they are often the
best person to treat them as
well,” she said.
“They are not emergency
patients. They are patients
who are stable and would
benefit from a review or fol-
low up.”
First-time GP clinic owner
says it’s about creative control
Are younger GPs really
turning their backs on practice
ownership? Dr Nicole Higgins,
a Queensland GP who has just
opened a new clinic in Mackay,
explains why she is taking the
plunge.
Australian Doctor: Why set
up your own practice?
Dr Nicole Higgins: I’m
at the stage of my career
where I’m quite established.
My children are 12, 10, and
eight. So it was a good time
for me to step out on my
own. Also, I had wonderful
mentorships, which helped
me develop what I wanted to
do. I am a medical educator
by background, so I wanted
to turn this into the best
teaching practice it could
be. And, finally, it was about
having the freedom and
creative control over running
a practice.
AD: Did you find it a
daunting prospect when
you started?
Dr Higgins: This is actually
my second attempt. About
five years ago, I looked at
opening a practice. But it was
at the time of the mining boom
and I couldn’t get a premises.
So this time I got the premises
first. The biggest decision was
making the decision to do it;
that was the hardest bit.
AD: Did you seek advice
from a practice consultant?
Dr Higgins: No. Through my
role as a medical educator,
and through my networks, like
GPs Down Under, I received
wonderful support. On GPs
Down Under we have about
4500 GPs and we can discuss
all the day-to-day issues of
running a medical practice. So
if I had questions, I could put
it out there to the hive and get
some pretty instant feedback.
Importantly, I could develop
mentorships with practice
owners — and that’s been
the key.
AD: What were your main
‘We have a
chandelier in
the loo,’ says Dr
Higgins.
issues about establishing
your own practice?
Dr Higgins: The financial load,
the work load and the impact
on my work-life balance —
because I’m raising a family.
I think for women that’s
probably the biggest issue.
But there are positives. The
building we’ve got is perfect.
I’m also lucky because my
husband is a tradesman, and
he’s got mates at the footy
club who are also tradesmen.
And they’re all from the local
community, so they’ve all been
invested in it. Once you’re off
and running, it’s just breathe,
and hang on.
I really wanted a practice
that was ‘non-clinical’, very
welcoming and open. The
furniture is eclectic and a little
bit retro.
There’s a kids room; there’s
a chandelier in the loo — in
homage to my practice
manager who said we should
have a chandelier there
because no one else would.
There are two nursing homes
literally within scooter distance.
We’re going to have a knitting
circle for patients if they want
to knit while they wait.
AD: Do you think that
younger GPs are avoiding
practice ownership?
Dr Higgins: In my experience,
there are a lot of younger
GPs who are setting up their
own practices. I’ve got two
girlfriends who have set up
practices in the past couple of
years; one in Cairns, and one in
Airlie Beach. Another friend has
just set up in Townsville. There
are lots of discussions online
among younger doctors who
would like to take up practice
ownership but don’t know how.
Dr Higgins spoke with
Brett Evans.
www.australiandoctor.com.au
30 June 2017 | Australian Doctor |
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