RACGP President

Last Friday I attended the AMA psychosocial safety summit. This important event brought together clinicians, policymakers and regulator to discuss psychosocial safety in health workplaces.

Thank you to those who attended the 64th Clinical Update conference in QLD over the weekend. It was great to see you all. It was an incredible weekend filled with high-quality education, collaboration, and sharing of ideas.

We need to make sure GPs can deliver high-quality care sustainably and aren't under pressure to see more people, more quickly.

More targeted funding to support people with chronic, complex conditions is still the most cost-effective way to improve our health system. 3/3

That'll need careful consideration to make sure it's sustainable and funding goes to those who need it most.

Extending bulk billing incentives to everyone won't necessarily mean everyone gets bulk billed, because patients' rebates are still too low to cover the cost of care. 2/3

RACGP Tasmania Chair Dr Toby Gardner speaks to 7 News and others in Launceston.

Health minister Mark Butler addresses media in Tasmania.

Our Tassie Chair Dr Toby Garder joined @albomp.bsky.social and @markbutlermp.bsky.social for big announcements for patients and GPs - funding to train 2000 more GPs to boost access is excellent news for every community.

The proposal for more universal bulk billing is more complex, but promising 1/3

This morning I spoke to journalists about the College’s plan to halve out-of-pocket costs, increase bulk billing, and get more GPs in communities across Australia.

GPs believe this one change to bulk-billing could save Australians $42 a visit Analysis suggests that extending bulk-billing incentives to under-35s would save young people $42 a visit in average doctor’s fees, while preventing 9000 hospitalisations.

If political parties back our plan to train more specialist GPs, it will deliver 1500 additional GPs working for communities across Australia. There’s no substitute for GP care, everyone needs access. #auspol
bit.ly/4hN0g0y

GP care keeps people healthy – it must be affordable for everyone. @racgp.bsky.social is urging all political parties to commit to significant investments in #Medicare to halve out-of-pocket costs and save people in Aus $268 mil/yr #auspol

Doctors pitch plan to lift bulk-billing rate to 85 per cent New bulk-billing data shows a slight improvement to 77.5 per cent of GP visits being bulk-billed. The Royal Australian College of GPs says it has a plan to restore that rate to pre-COVID levels.

Today we’re launching @racgp.bsky.social's plan for accessible and affordable GP care for everyone. Our initiatives will halve out-of-pocket fees, increase bulk billing, and deliver more GPs for communities across Australia. #auspol ab.co/3EtsiA3

The Sydney suburbs missing out on free GP visits NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the collapse of bulk-billing was putting pressure on the state’s hospitals and urged the federal government to prioritise Medicare reform.

This is more evidence that major investment in Medicare is needed to support billing and to reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Both of these things are crucial.

As I told the SMH, “We need to make sure that all Australians have affordable access to a GP – and that it doesn’t depend on your postcode.” 2/2

Bulk billing rates across Australia — and where you're most likely to find a fee-free GP The rate of bulk billing GP clinics is continuing to decline while patients are paying more out-of-pocket to see doctors, according to a new report.

Lots of discussion about bulk-billing and the need for increased investment in general practice.

Cleanbill's latest Blue Report shows a decline in bulk billing-only practices and increasing out-of-pocket costs for those who aren't bulk-billed.

I spoke to the SBS and others about these issues. 1/2

More from us:

RACGP welcomes HealthLink pausing GP fees rollout

newsGP - HealthLink reveals new subscription fees The provider has sent out alerts about the incoming fees to many GPs and practices, with costs for larger clinics listed at $1000 a year.

We’ve welcomed HealthLink pausing the rollout of new fees on GPs, following a meeting with @racgp.bsky.social

After decades of underfunding of Medicare, we and our patients really don’t need new costs.

A fantastic update on the below.

GPs are the most trusted and accessed provider of immunisations, and are ready and willing to help you reduce risks from influenza.

Flu vaccinations will be available from your GP when later this year, generally around late March to early April. 2/2

www.racgp.org.au/gp-news/medi...

Screenshot of news article reporting Queensland will again have free flu vaccines for everyone, and are being urged to not give in to ‘vaccine fatigue’.

The Queensland Government's decision to provide free flu vaccinations for everyone in the state is a smart move.

This will help keep Queenslanders healthy and relieve pressure on our hospitals, while saving patients money.

Vaccines are our best protection against the flu. 1/2

100%. Simplest solution to support an essential service, and avoids GPs looking to open a practice also having to consider which side of a state border to set up on. GPs should be supported to practice where people need GPs.

Selfie by RACGP President Dr Michael Wright of the RACGP NSW&ACT Faculty Council, around a table for a planning day.

The RACGP NSW&ACT Faculty Council and RACGP President Dr Michael Wright posing for a photo in an office.

Excellent to sit down with @racgp.bsky.social NSW&ACT Faculty Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman and the NSW&ACT Faculty Council for a planning session on the weekend!

A very productive Saturday ahead of a busy 2025.

'Under significant pressure': regional Victorian hospitals still struggling Document analysis reveals budget and performance problems.

Dire. Decades under investment in health for growing/ageing population & drive to cut taxes coming home to roost. Hospitals cant keep doing more with less. Primary care on its knees. What is plan to fix? #regional #auspol bit.ly/3ViGe5a @racgppresident.bsky.social

Victoria rubber stamps payroll tax reform - Medical Republic The new legislation exempts bulk-billing revenue from counting toward payroll tax bills.

Tax rarely makes the news, but: great the Vic Govt has exempted independent GPs' bulk billed services from payroll tax, making bulk billing more viable.

Qld recently ended payroll tax on independent GPs, the best solution. We need national consistency.
www.medicalrepublic.com.au/victoria-rub...

That’s a fantastic life!

Long COVID may be 'hiding' in the body. - ABC listen Between up to 20 per cent of Australians who get COVID-19 will develop symptoms of long COVID, including brain fog and fatigue, but its exact causes remain a medical mystery.

GPs are still referring long COVID patients to Dr Jenny Huang and colleagues’ long COVID clinic, but the exact causes remain unknown.

Interesting new Burnett research 👇

Patients need support, GPs need info, both need funding for long consults to investigate symptoms.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care Since the earliest stages of the pandemic, muscle weakness has been a key symptom described by patients post-COVID infection. Estimated to affect up to 60% of those with long COVID, it can have a prof...

Our new paper, led by @oohgpwales.bsky.social:

Muscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care

TL;DR: patients with muscle weakness after COVID-19 infection may have myelopathy, nerve damage or other organic pathology. Not always due to 'deconditioning'!

bjgp.org/content/74/7...

No one can work as a DOCTOR in GP without min 5yr at Medical School, 2yr general hospital roles & 3yr GP training
Only then can a GP consult undifferentiated patients with undiagnosed problems
Yet @nhsengland.bsky.social decided this was OK for a PA

This really is a patient safety issue for the UK

newsGP - ‘Wow, what a week’: New RACGP President reflects From GP24 in Perth, to Parliament in Canberra, the RACGP in Melbourne, and A Current Affair in Sydney, Dr Michael Wright reflects on week one.

A big first week! Our GP24 conference, then to Canberra, then Melbourne, then back home to Sydney.

Update from me here 👇
www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/gp-op...

Caught up with @julianprice.bsky.social and Nine's A Current Affair team to talk about what's needed to support our rural communities' access to a local GP.

All Australians deserve access to a GP who knows them, their context and their medical history.

newsGP - Budget reveals $5.7 billion general practice investment Funding will go towards the creation of a new level E consultation item, rebate indexation, telehealth, the bulk billing incentive, and multidisciplinary care.

Speaking on Dr Nicole Higgins’ behalf here, but the investment in supporting patients to see their GP was genuinely historic: www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/profe...

It’s had a real impact… but it also shows there’s significantly more to do to make sure every patient can see a GP when they need care.

By focusing on the bulk-billing rate, we can overlook the true costs of care – and overlook the value, quality and range of work that we’re doing in our practices.

We look forward to more measures which increase affordable access to general practice care to all Australians.

newsGP - ‘We need better measures beyond just bulk-billing rates’ The metric needs to be supported by better ways of assessing the true value and success of general practice, argues Dr Michael Wright.

As I say here and in a new MJA piece I wrote before my election as RACGP President, we need better ways to understand the quality and value of GPs – beyond bulk billing rates.

We need better measures, which explain the value of quality care in general practice.

www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/profe...

Plus! Senator Jordon Steele-John and Dr @sophiescamps.bsky.social – excellent to have a former GP in Parliament.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright with (L-R): Prof Charlotte Hespe, past Chair of RACGP NSW&ACT and current Sydney Inner West council representative Dr Tim Usherwood, University of Sydney Professor of General Practice Dr Ania Samarawickrama, RACGP NSW&ACT Sydney West council representative

It was great to see fellow GPs at the 2024 National Hypertension Summit in Sydney yesterday!

I presented on how GPs can tackle hypertension in primary care:
👨‍⚕️ GPs relieve pressure on the entire health system by
🏥 Keeping patients out of hospital and in the community
🔎 As we see in NSW health data