The Entrance, Wyong, Tuggerah and Budgewoi are set to benefit from an influx of almost 11 new GPs following an incentive program introduced by the Primary Health Network (PHN) to redress the shortage in the area.
PHN has funded incentives to assist practices in attracting GPs as well as offering ‘sea change’ grants to cover costs of their relocation.
A national recruitment campaign featuring relocated GP, Dr Ameeta Patel, who works out of The Entrance and Gwandalan, was launched to kickstart the program in 2021.
“The people and opportunities on the Central Coast were what drew me to the region.
“Working here isn’t like working in a big city where you feel like you are cycling through patients every day.
“But it also isn’t like working in a rural area, where you might be the only doctor for hundreds of kilometres.
“I live just five minutes from my practice, which gives me more time to sip my coffee in the morning and more time to spend with the people in life who are important to me,” said Dr Patel.
In an additional win, five suburbs including Lake Haven, Tuggerawong, Wyong, Toukley and Blue Haven are now classified as a distribution priority area (DPA) following an application to the Federal Government’s “exceptional circumstances” review.
The distribution priority area classification identifies regions where people find it harder to see a doctor, based on the needs of the community and was designed to address shortfalls of regional GP practices.
In September 2021, Minister for Regional Health David Gillespie announced that practices that were not currently a DPA could apply for a review due to ‘exceptional circumstances’.
Although the classification is updated each year, several medical practices in the region indicated they had been hit by sudden and unexpected changes and unmet demand during the pandemic period and had found it especially difficult to recruit doctors.
PHN Chief Executive Officer, Richard Nankervis, said the PHN team is well on its way to achieving its recruitment target.
“We have been successful in recruiting doctors from across the country including from Sydney and regional Victoria.
“Our grants and workforce teams are currently in negotiation with another five GPs and our recruitment campaign will relaunch next month,” he said.
With the average GP caring for 1000 patients, the new recruits will provide care for 11,000 locals.
The Sea Change Grant remains open to GP practices until 30 April 2022.
Nicola Riches