Doorstop at opening of Port Stephens GP Super Clinic

View by date:

• May
  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

• 2010
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004

PDF printable version of Doorstop at opening of Port Stephens GP Super Clinic (PDF 20 KB)

17 May 2010

Topics: Port Stephens GPSC, comments from local MP Bob Baldwin

Question: First of all, how important is new centre for [indistinct]?

Nicola Roxon: I think the $2.5 million investment from the Rudd Government into the Port Stephens area is delivering results already.

This service has been open only for a few days, 400 patients have already come through the door, and what we see is a service now that's open on Sundays, bulk billing for a large number of people. Never before, I understand, in Port Stephens has there been bulk billing.

So this is the Government's health reform plans turning into reality and we're very excited that a promise made at the last election by a Labor opposition is now being delivered by the Labor Government.

Question:What was the idea behind this centre originally?

Nicola Roxon:Well, the idea was to look at areas where there was a lack of service, where there was a shortage, particularly of available doctors and health professionals whether it's on weekends or late at night.

There was a very competitive process for the selection of who would run the super clinic here and we were able to choose the best bidder. And now we've seen this super clinic open six months ahead of time, which is good news for the community, good news I think evidenced by the fact that the Liberal sitting member is actually here, although his national counterparts opposed this program.

We're delighted that people locally can see its value and the good sense in it.

Question: Yeah, you have mentioned some of the things but what does it do that's different from just a normal GP service?

Nicola Roxon: Well, I think the main difference is being open after hours, being open on Sundays, bulk billing, providing a range of treatments that haven't been available elsewhere.

So this is being able to scan for skin cancers, pretty important in this region, being able to have some specialist services for older people, supporting those living in residential care as well as retirees.
I think that sort of focus where you can make the services fit the needs of the community is very important.

But ultimately it's also just about boosting primary care services so that people don't have to travel further to a hospital when they can actually get good treatment in a GP super clinic like this.

Question:Your friend Bob has suggested that other areas might have been more in need. How would you respond to that?

Nicola Roxon: Well, we ran a competitive process. This was the best application and we're pleased that it's very well placed where people from, sort of, both peninsulas, if you like, can easily access this super clinic at the hub of town.

But, really, I think the demands from other health professionals show that this is a good program. More people want to be part of it. We've just announced in the Budget last week that more than $300 million of new money will be invested in this program for further super clinics and for other GP practices to upgrade and I think that's what Mr Baldwin is supporting. These extra investments will be very welcomed in communities like Port Stephens and Paterson more generally.

Question:How important is it for the Aboriginal population?

Nicola Roxon:Well, to have nearly 2000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the community is something that's important. It was important in our considerations of making the commitment to be established here.

We know that Indigenous Australians often have poorer health outcomes than other Australians and having services that are friendly and specifically targeted to meet that need is important and this super clinic will have a particular focus on chronic disease.

So we need Indigenous patients to know that they'll be bulk billed if they attend here and that they will get good support in dealing with chronic disease, particularly those like diabetes, that need to be stabilised to avert worse health outcomes.

Question:How is the GP super clinic rollout going? I understand we've got one in Lake Macquarie, now one here. And, you know, in our entire region, I read somewhere, 10 out of 40, are they likely to be completed before the next election?

Nicola Roxon: Well, we promised 31 at the last election as part of a five year program. We have 11 that are providing services already into the community but we have 17 that are under construction. So in a very short time we'll have a large number of those but the program is on track.

It takes time if you want these services to properly fit community needs. You want deeper consultation. You want to have state of the art facilities like you see here and we're very pleased with the program and we're delighted that the universities have been so actively engaged with most of the super clinics.

You see here discussions with the University of Newcastle to try to make sure young health students will come and work in practices like these. That means we can help attract the future workforce to communities where they're needed.

So the program's going well. A five year program's going to take time to roll out but this has been opened six months ahead of time and that's good for Port Stephens.

Question:Is it just the start though? Bob's mentioned, you know, the need for dialysis services for instance because there's families up here that need that sort of stuff they're travelling quite a long way to get that. Can it improve? Can it get better?

Nicola Roxon: There's always more that you can do in health and we're always happy to work with communities to see what extra can be provided.

I mean, I do note that Mr Baldwin has not been able to deliver any of those services in his long time as the local member and as part of the previous government.

So we're rebuilding and reinvesting in areas that the previous government didn't. Of course there's always more that can be done and we're prepared to look at, as part of our whole national reform plans, ways that we can provide services like dialysis closer to people's homes.

That's part of our fundamental restructuring of the health system and the way that we would fund services into the future.

So there's lots of opportunity. It's a very exciting time but we have to build the foundation first and the super clinic is part of that.
ENDS