The South Australian branches of 10 specialist medical college have come together to set the agenda for the state’s healthcare system.
As South Australia treads ever closer to a state election next month, the health sector has ramped up campaigning for what it wants to see come as election promises.
The latest push comes in the form of a three-point plan as part of a collaboration between 10 of Australia’s healthcare advocate bodies, known collectively as the SA College Chairs Committee.
Both ACRRM and the RACGP have signed off on the plan, which looks to prioritise healthcare accessibility in the state.
This collaboration is calling on all parties to commit to three key priorities in this election race:
- Establishing a clear and accessible map of unmet health needs and service gaps withing metropolitan, regional and remote communities,
- Addressing workforce shortages to increase timely patient access to healthcare, preferably via a statewide plan to align training and recruitment to proportional community needs, and
- Reforming the credentialing system to eliminate paperwork duplication for doctors working at multiple hospitals.
“There has never been a more important time for the South Australian government to invest in primary care,” RACGP SA chair Dr Sian Goodson said.
“Our hospitals and emergency departments are under extreme pressure from an ageing population and rising chronic disease, yet general practice remains the most cost-effective way to reduce preventable hospitalisations.
“To improve outcomes and reduce overall health costs, innovation is required and general practice must be central to a statewide strategy to ensure every South Australian has access to world class healthcare, when and where they need it.”
The current government has unveiled plans to further support regional medical training in alignment with the three-point plan.
A plan to expand the medical training capacity in Mount Gambier in partnership with Flinders University was announced on Wednesday. It was billed as able to “enhance existing clinical training infrastructure and enable up to 120 medical students to undertake part of their training in the region each year.”
An investment of up to $13 million has been proposed, drawing praise from the RACGP for how it could strengthen regional training pathways and address longstanding GP workforce shortages in rural and remote communities.
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“When students learn in rural communities, they form connections, gain valuable experience, and are far more likely to return as qualified GPs,” Dr Goodson said.
“Expanding training capacity in Mount Gambier is a practical, evidence-based step toward building a stronger future workforce.
“A dedicated training centre will help attract and retain the next generation of doctors, strengthen local general practice teams, and support better continuity of care for country communities.
“This is the type of long-range planning regional South Australia needs.”
