New bandaids for old problems

3 minute read


AMA Tasmania has criticised the state Labor Party over its proposed new nurse-led clinics.


Questions have arisen over the disconnect between Tasmania’s politicians and the needs of the health workforce, with AMA Tasmania warning against the establishment of nurse-led clinics in the state. 

“It takes 10-12 years to train a GP,” AMA Tasmania vice president Dr Meg Creely said. 

“Tasmanians know and trust the care that they receive from specialist doctors.  

“You cannot replace doctors without compromising patient safety.  

“Nurse practitioner-led clinics put patients at risk by replacing doctors with less trained staff.  

“Patients deserve the safest care no matter where they live in Tasmania, and that means care led by fully qualified doctors.” 

Medical clinics have become a focal point of the state election, with tensions rising last week with the dual announcement of 5 new bulk-billing clinics by both the Labor and Liberal party. 

Collaborative care in Tasmania is another of the AMA Tasmania’s concerns with the announcement, arguing that it could inhibit collaboration in an already fragmented system. 

This sentiment has become common in general practice nationwide; GPs in Victoria also recently argued against the introduction of pharmacist-led prescribing on the basis of system fragmentation. 

Labor’s proposed nurse-led clinics have been touted for their potential to alleviate workforce shortages and accessibility issues within regional areas. 

“We think this is rather than dealing with the actual crux of the problem, this is yet another band aid solution,” AMA Tasmania vice president Dr Meg Creely told The Medical Republic. 

“We think that rather than continue to provide Band Aid solutions, that governments need to be brave to reform Medicare, to bring Medicare into a modern age, to support primary health care as that cornerstone of a successful health care system.” 

This announcement has also agitated GPs given the recent cancellation of the GP outpatient clinic pilot initiative that saw reductions in wait times and increase in appointment efficiency. 

“The first I heard of the nurse link clinics was through the media, which is disappointing,” Dr Creely told TMR. 

“I think we need to look for both solutions that have been proven to work in the past and where evidence and national systems have shown us that that things work, 

“That’s where you bring healthcare professionals together, and we stop working in silos and fragmenting care, to have nurse practitioners in one sitting, providing care and GPs over here providing care and pharmacists prescribing over here. 

“You bring that team together, there’s such good evidence that we get better health outcomes for patients. 

“We need to focus on what has been proven to work, rather than coming up with new ideas in an election campaign.” 

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