If elected, the ACT Greens’ plan would provide more fully bulk-billed doctor appointments across Canberra. Photo: ACT Health.
The ACT Greens have promised to set up four bulk-billing GP clinics across Canberra in four years if they win the next election.
The party’s health policy is centred around increasing healthcare access and relieving pressures related to the cost of living.
ACT Greens health spokesperson Emma Davidson said too many Canberrans were struggling to access free healthcare early.
“Most people don’t get free healthcare until they get to the hospital emergency department. That’s too late,” she said.
“We don’t have enough bulk-billing GPs. The ones we have are booked out for weeks … let’s get back to delivering truly universal healthcare.”
The two clinics would be established in the north and another two in the south inside existing ACT Government-owned properties.
It’s expected the fit-outs would cost $1.5 million.
The ACT’s low bulk billing rate is partly related to the low number of doctors per capita.
Ms Davidson said this new model would be attractive to doctors already in Canberra and beyond.
“For GPs who might want to balance their clinical work with other aspects of their life … what we’re offering through our free bulk-billing clinics is the opportunity to do that without having to worry about running a practice and being able to set their own hours,” she said.
The clinics would provide routine health appointments for all health-related matters such as vaccinations, check-ups, and sexual health and family planning.
The ACT Greens’ plan would see medical receptionists employed by the government on secure permanent contracts and would cover all costs associated with running the clinic, including maintenance and cleaning.
Another $2 million per year would be budgeted to operate all four clinics.
“Any registered GP can register to work at a GP clinic and see patients on the condition that all appointments are bulk billed. The GP would be self-employed and receive 100 per cent of the MBS payment,” the policy stated.
“Because the clinics will be fully bulk billed, they will not be subject to GP payroll tax.”
The policy is expected to deliver more than 160,000 bulk-billed appointments each year, based on the theory that each clinic has eight doctors, and each doctor sees three patients an hour.
It’s hoped this would bridge a gap between the ACT’s nurse-led walk-in centres and hospital emergency departments as places to receive free healthcare.
“People are consistently telling us they are deferring health appointments. The result of this is they don’t get healthcare when they need it, and end up in crisis down the line,” ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said.
“This is about making sure people have the full spectrum of services available to them free of charge – a genuinely universal healthcare system.”
The second half of the health policy is focused on care for Canberrans with chronic conditions.
The ACT Greens would partner the government with interested GPs to develop their skills and expertise in specific conditions to provide ongoing, free, specialist care to people with long-term illnesses.
It’s proposed the first two conditions in the program would be mental health and musculoskeletal conditions.
This aspect has been costed at $1 million per year to facilitate the upskilling of special interest GPs.
ACT Greens Murrumbidgee candidate Harini Rangarajan said people with chronic health conditions usually need more support on their health journey, but it could be difficult to find a doctor who understands their needs.
“By improving access to doctors who have expert knowledge in mental health and musculoskeletal conditions, we can reduce hospital admissions and keep many more people in Canberra living their best lives and doing the things they love,” she said.
Participating GPs would be expected to provide de-identified population health data to ACT Health about how to best support people with particular long-term conditions.
Future phases to expand the program to other conditions such as cancer, neurological and cardiovascular conditions would be considered.
The entire policy is costed at $9.9 million over the next term of the Assembly.
ACT Labor health spokesperson and current health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith described the Greens’ policy as an “interesting” one that her party would consider.
“However, it does raise some concerns. There is a risk of GPs moving around the ACT undermining our existing valued general practices rather than bringing new workforce into the ACT,” she said.
“ACT Labor has always been the party of free and accessible public healthcare. We’re making record investments across the ACT public health system so Canberrans can access the right healthcare in the right place and at the right time.”
ACT Labor has already pledged to hire 800 healthcare workers if re-elected, with more health promises to come.
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