Skip to content
Medical Health Aged Care

Regional Queenslanders missing out on healthcare

Royal Australian College of GPs 2 mins read

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) says the Miles Government is overlooking the health of rural and regional Queenslanders after it announced a new nurse-led walk-in clinic in the middle of Brisbane CBD  

Yesterday, the Miles Government announced the first of four new clinics costing taxpayers $46 million will open in Adelaide Street in Brisbane City in September. 

RACGP Queensland Chair Dr Cathryn Hester said regional Queenslanders should be concerned. 

“Queenslanders should be concerned about the Miles Government’s misguided use of taxpayers' money and broken promise to improve access to women’s healthcare for people in regional communities,” she said.  

“This Government promised it would improve access to care for women and girls by establishing free walk-in nurse-led clinics in regions that need it most – that’s not the centre of Brisbane. There are already four general practices on Adelaide Street, a further 15 in walking distance, and 50 within three kilometres of the CBD. 

“The focus on women’s health also appears to have been minimised. The government’s announcement puts it at the end of a long list of other conditions the clinic will offer treatment for, including common colds, skin conditions and gastro. 

“$46 million is a substantial amount of taxpayers’ money. It could have funded the establishment of many GP practices in regional areas of genuine need, where there are no local GPs already established and caring for patients. 

“Instead, Brisbane City is getting a walk-in clinic which promises to be costly and offer little value for Queensland patients. A recent media investigation revealed a cost blow-out at similar walk-in nurse clinics in the Australian Capital Territory. They fragment care for patients, duplicate services and lead to wastage of public funds. 

“We need to do more to improve access to primary care in Queensland and reduce pressure on our strained hospital system, but this is not the way to do it. I welcome a discussion with Premier Steven Miles about real solutions to improve access to women’s health, because no community should miss out, no matter their postcode.” 

~ENDS


About us:

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the peak representative organisation for general practice, the backbone of Australia’s health system. We set the standards for general practice, facilitate lifelong learning for GPs, connect the general practice community, and advocate for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

Visit www.racgp.org.au. To unsubscribe from RACGP media releases, click here.


Contact details:

John Ronan
Media Adviser

Ally Francis
Media Adviser

Stuart Winthrope
Media Officer

Contact: 03 8699 0992media@racgp.org.au

Follow us on Twitter: @RACGP and Facebook.

More from this category

  • Medical Health Aged Care
  • 10/11/2024
  • 15:34
Royal Australian College of GPs

Government’s free RSV immunisations will keep babies out of hospital: RACGP

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has lauded the Federal Government’s announcement of $174.5 million to provide free RSV vaccination during pregnancy to reduce the risk of hospitalisation of babies due to the virus. The move will give free access to Abrysvo, a maternalRSV vaccine, under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), in line with a Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommendation in June. The vaccine typically costs families around $300. This free vaccination program will also be supported by a federal, state, and territory program to provide unprotected infants with a free long-acting monoclonal antibody, Beyfortus (nirsevimab), which the RACGP…

  • Contains:
  • Government Federal, Medical Health Aged Care
  • 10/11/2024
  • 06:21
Immunisation Foundation of Australia

Nationwide RSV immunisation program to keep 10,000 babies out of hospital

Nationwide RSV immunisation program to keep 10,000 babies out of hospital Immunisation advocates are heralding the Albanese Government’s commitment to the first all-infant RSV…

  • Contains:
  • Agriculture Farming Rural, Medical Health Aged Care
  • 08/11/2024
  • 15:01
Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges

CPMC Warns AHPRA’s Plan Won’t Fix Doctor Shortages in Regional Areas and Key Specialties

Following the release of the Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Report, the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC) has again warned that fast-tracking International Medical Graduate registration alone will not solve Australia's rural healthcare challenges. Without proper planning, new specialists may concentrate in urban areas while regional communities continue to face specialist shortages. "We are reviewing the broader health workforce reform agenda outlined in the Scope of Practice Review and will consider the recommendations in the context of all the current health workforce reforms. We cannot accept an implementation approach for international medical registration that fails to…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.