clinical practice
clinical practice
‘ Remove barriers ’
It can be tough getting a GP appointment . Nurse practitioners could take some of the load
By Reema Harrison and Laurel Mimmo
Australians are living longer than ever . But these extra years of life come with higher rates of long-term and complex conditions and greater health care needs .
The government wants to improve Australians ’ access to primary care services . These services would usually be delivered by a GP . But as part of this change , a new review is exploring how other health professionals could expand their current scope of work to meet growing needs .
20 | nursingreview . com . au
Nurses make up more than 50 % of the health workforce and have untapped and under-used skills that would ease the skills gap in our health system . Within this group , nurse practitioners have advanced training and the potential to deliver more services than they ’ re currently allowed – without the oversight of a GP .
How will access to primary care change ? One of the big changes is that from October 2023 , some patients will be able to register with one GP or general practice under the MyMedicare scheme . Those who are registered will start to have access to extra funded services like longer telehealth appointments .
The first patients who will get access to these benefits are people with multiple health conditions and / or additional social needs . Having one doctor who knows them , and their history , can connect them more seamlessly with all of the different health professionals and services . This saves patients and carers time , money and effort .
For MyMedicare to work , Australia will need more health professionals with the right skills available in cities , regional towns and in rural and remote locations .
Currently , Australia is set to have a shortfall of 10,600 GPs by 2032 . This represents a serious problem . While steps are being taken to grow the GP workforce , this takes time . And with a worldwide health workforce shortage , it will not be easy .