The imminent national crisis in the GP workforce

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
Barbara Reynolds-Hutchinson
7 Rowland Street
Coorparoo Qld 4151
Total Signatures - 69
Sponsoring Member: Gary Fenlon MP
Posting Date: 9/5/2008
Closing Date: 9/11/2008
Tabled Date: 11/11/2008
Responded By: Hon Stephen Robertson MP on 24/12/2008
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Queensland Residents draws to the attention of the House: The imminent national crisis in the GP workforce as exemplified by the widely publicised situation at the Logan Road General Practice in the federal electorate of Griffith. Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to: petition the federal government to address the issue by: temporarily suspending the District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) designation (say for 6 months) to allow the employment of International Medical Graduates (IMGs( in inner metropolitan areas; reducing to 3 years the period after which an IMG has access to an unrestricted provider number; giving exemption from the provider number legislation to IMGs who have proven commitments (eg. family) that preclude them leaving a metropolitan area; identifying and supporting Australian trained GPs who have left the workforce, to return (eg. offer up skilling, financial incentives).