Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Shaun Rudd says doctors won’t be put off by subsidies being scrapped. FILE
DOCTORS in Hervey Bay will lose about $18,000 a year in incentive payments after an overhaul to the GP Rural Incentive Scheme.
The changes, announced yesterday by Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash, mean the incentive payments will not be available to doctors working in Queensland’s regional cities of more than 50,000 people – including on the Fraser Coast.
Hervey Bay GPs will no longer receive a $30,000 relocation grant when moving to the area and will also lose around $18,000 yearly in bonuses.
But a Hervey Bay GP and the head of the Australian Medical Association Queensland says doctors will not be put off the region.
Ms Nash said the overhaul was introduced because it made more sense to use that money to attract doctors to where the greatest shortages are, in small rural and remote communities, not big regional cities.
“This means bigger incentive payments will go to doctors who choose to work in the areas of greatest need,” she said,
While parts of the Fraser Coast – including Maryborough – have traditionally struggled to attract GPs, Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Shaun Rudd said the reduced financial benefits of moving to the region would not deter doctors.
Urraween GP Dr Rudd said factoring in the average $130,000 annual pay packet of a beginning GP, many doctors coming to the Fraser Coast “wouldn’t care”.
“Doctors want to be able to look after their family, they want training, and they want a good work environment,” he said.
“All of these things are considered, not just money.”
He said doctors would still be attracted to Hervey Bay’s for the lifestyle and training opportunities, particularly in light of the “medical hub” created by Australia’s first digital hospital, St Stephen’s, as well as the public facilities.
‘Once you get the infrastructure, it’s easier to get doctors,” Dr Rudd said.
The old system, set to change July 1 saw $50 million a year in incentive payments paid to GPs working in large regional centres.
Doctors set to benefit from the overhaul are those working in smaller regional groups such as Kingaroy.
The new incentive will deliver up to $60,000 annually to GPs after two years service working in small regional and remote communities.
INCENTIVES
The highest incentive paid to work in remote Australia will jump from $47,000 a year to $60,000 a year.
The maximum incentive to work in a town of less than 5000 in regional Australia will increase from $18,000 to $23,000.