BENEFITTING FROM OUR HEALTH SYSTEM REQUIRES HAVING ACCESS TO IT Source- https://ahha.asn.au/, News Editor, First Published August 6, 2024 ‘Primary health care is about keeping people well, but this requires being able to access it. It is the reason why Medicare was introduced, and yet 40 years later, our primary care system is struggling,’ says Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) Chief Executive Ms Kylie Woolcock. ‘Australia has more doctors per head of population than the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and many other nations – but too many of us can’t get in to see a GP.’ Unmet demand projections from Commonwealth Government modelling have estimated a current shortfall of GPs of over 2,400 FTE in 2024, increasing to around 3,900 FTE in 2028, and to over 8,900 FTE by 2048. Too few are choosing to become or stay practicing as a GP. ‘Our system is under ever-increasing strain, unable to align service structures with demand or capacity Opening Lines 5 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 09
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