ACRRM welcomes release of Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) welcomes the release of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report today, saying it will allow for reform and improve healthcare access for rural, remote, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

ACRRM has been involved in Taskforce deliberations and provided experience and expertise to strongly advocate for rural and remote General Practitioners (GPs) and Rural Generalists (RGs).

College President Dr Dan Halliday says that the College supports the intent of the report and its recommendations. 

“Like all such reports, the devil will be in the detail,” Dr Halliday says.

“We will be looking at how the federal, state and territory governments respond to the recommendation.

“The next steps of the reform process are crucial, including delivering more detail regarding priority of reforms, funding details and implementation timelines.

“It is vital they adopt a united approach and continue to consult with the College and other key stakeholders, including GPs, Rural Generalists, and rural and remote consumers.”

Dr Halliday says GPs and RGs are the cornerstone of quality primary care and have a pivotal role as leaders and coordinators of primary care teams and are gatekeepers to other medical specialties. 

“We also recognise that in rural and especially remote communities, GPs and RGs may not be the regular, on-the-ground team member, and that we need to allow flexibility in the system to ensure viability of services when they are not available.

“People living in rural and remote locations should never have to accept a lesser standard than their urban counterparts. 

“There should be a minimum acceptable standard for healthcare services in rural and remote Australia, consistent with the principle of equitable access to services regardless of location.

“To achieve this, rural and remote communities, starting with the most vulnerable, should be consulted on the specific solutions they require to maintain service viability.”

In particular, the College will be seeking greater detail on:

• The role of the Rural Generalist/specialist GP in the coordination of multidisciplinary, team-based care
• How the primary care sector will be consulted and supported to implement the significant reforms that are required to ensure that Australia’s Medicare system is fit-for-purpose
• How general practices and primary care facilities more broadly, will be incentivised and funded to deliver high quality, continuity of care that meets patient needs and keeps people out of hospital and emergency departments; and provide effective prevention and treatment for chronic disease
• How voluntary patient registration will be implemented, particularly within the rural and remote context, and
• The expanded role of Primary Health Networks, and the implications for rural and remote GPs and RGs, practices and healthcare facilities and communities.

ENDS