The Federal Government’s plans to reform Medicare appear to be forgetting a key element of the health system by leaving specialist care out of the conversation, the RACP is warning.
Minister for Health Mark Butler released his blueprint for revamping primary care on Friday, promising major changes to the sector plus a cash injection of $750 million.
Drawn up by a committee called the Strengthening Medical Taskforce, the plan includes a recommendation to better integrate general practice with the rest of the health system, including specialists and hospital services – although how this will be done is not spelled out.
RACP president Dr Jacqueline Small has already come out in support of the recommendation, but says patients need more access to specialist care than is foreshadowed in the report.
“Including medical specialists in integrated and team-based models of care will deliver better outcomes for patients, provide support and capability development for GPs and other health professionals, and address problems with accessing specialist medical care,” she said last week.
“Supporting medical specialists to work more closely with GP practices is one model that could improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes, reduce fragmentation of care and reduce hospitalisations from chronic and complex conditions.”
She urged the Federal Government to involve medical specialists in primary care reform and implement the college’s model of chronic care management.
Specialists should also be involved in the design and operation of the network of Urgent Care Clinics set to be rolled out nationally with government funding as well as the voluntary patient registration scheme planned for general practice.
It comes after concerns were raised about where specialists would fit in the government’s plans given there was not one physician among the 17 experts on the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce which produced the report.
The body, which met at least six times since July 2022, did include six GPs, plus nurses, health economists, consumers as well as Mr Butler himself.
Dr Small said the omission was a mistake.