330-04 Shortage of General Practitioners in the Runaway Bay area

Eligibility - Residents of the State of Queensland
Principal Petitioner:
C Pugh
8/6 Harley Street
LABRADOR QLD
Total Signatures - 31
Sponsoring Member: Peta-Kaye Croft MP
Posting Date: 17/06/2004
Tabled Date: 17/06/2004
Referred to: Referred Minister on 18/06/2004
Responded By: Hon Gordon Nuttall MP on 28/07/2004
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

The petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House that over the past two years a significant number of General Practitioners servicing the Broadwater Electorate have closed their doors or are no longer taking on new patients. This has put an increased strain on the remaining doctors and caused considerable concern to local residents who no longer have a doctor and are having difficulty finding a new one. Despite these concerns the Health Insurance Commission has now advised local doctors that the Runaway Bay area is not defined as a District of Workforce Shortage, which may have assisted in attracting more doctors to the area.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to advise the Federal Government that the shortage of General Practitioners in the Runaway Bay area is significantly impacting on local residents and the remaining doctors, and request that the Federal Government declare this a District of Workforce Shortage in an attempt to attract more doctors.