ACT Government must explain paediatric waitlist removals: RACGP

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is calling on Canberra Health Services to urgently explain why hundreds of children have been removed from a paediatric allergy waitlist, warning the decision risks leaving families confused and vulnerable.

Reports indicate families received letters advising their child had been removed from the waitlist and would need to seek further care through their GP, despite local GPs not being consulted on the process and no broader system solution being put in place.

RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said families deserve transparency and a clear pathway to care.

“Families waiting for specialist care are already under enormous stress. Receiving a letter telling them their child has been removed from a waitlist, without adequate explanation or consultation with the doctors who will be left managing their care, is deeply concerning,” she said.

“GPs are always there to support patients and help coordinate their care, but it is unacceptable to shift responsibility without engaging the profession or ensuring appropriate services are available.

“Patients should not be disappearing from waitlists simply because the system cannot meet demand. We need solutions that improve access to care, not administrative exercises that make waiting lists look shorter on paper.”

Dr Hoffman said the situation highlighted the urgent need for innovative workforce solutions, including the RACGP’s call for the ACT Government to fund five GPs with Special Interests (GPwSIs) within the public health system.

GPwSIs are experienced GPs who undertake additional training and develop expertise in specific clinical areas, enabling them to safely assess and manage patients whose needs do not require a traditional specialist appointment.

“This is exactly the type of problem GPs with Special Interests can help solve,” she said.

“Not every patient referred to a specialist requires a hospital outpatient appointment. GPwSIs can provide earlier assessment and treatment for many patients, helping ensure specialists can focus on those with the most complex needs.

“The ACT Government has a practical opportunity to reduce specialist waiting lists, improve patient access and make better use of the workforce it already has by funding five GPwSI positions.”

The RACGP has consistently advocated for stronger integration between general practice and hospital services, with GPwSIs identified as a practical way to improve patient flow, reduce unnecessary delays, and strengthen referral pathways.

The model is supported by Recommendation 24 of the ACT Health System Data, Demand and Processes Inquiry.

Dr Hoffman said the College welcomed the ACT Greens’ upcoming Roundtable on Addressing Long Specialist Waitlists, led by Rebecca Vassarotti MLA, as an important opportunity to focus on solutions.

“The RACGP looks forward to participating in the roundtable and working constructively with government, specialists and consumers on reforms that will get people the care they need sooner,” Dr Hoffman said.

“Canberrans are rightly frustrated by long waits for specialist care. Rather than moving patients off lists without addressing underlying demand, we need practical reforms that expand capacity and improve access.”

~ENDS

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