ROSNY GP SUPERCLINIC – $5.5 MILLION TO DELIVER FEWER GP’s

“Revelations this week that the Gillard Labor Government has spent $5.5 million of taxpayers funds to convert a busy suburban medical practice of 8 male and female GP’s into a smaller practice of only 3 male GP’s, is another stunning example of this Government’s incompetence”, Liberal Senator for Tasmania, David Bushby, said today.

“There is no doubt that the Clarence Community Centre Clinic (CCCC) was successfully and effectively delivering primary health care to the people of the Eastern Shore of Hobart. Labor’s GP Superclinic has seen the CCCC closed down, its GP’s sacked and the CCCC replaced with a new model having less half the GP capacity of the CCCC.

“It is astounding that, despite the injection of $5.5million, the range and depth of services on offer has dramatically fallen”, Senator Bushby said.

Julie Collins MP said in a 16 February 2011 joint press release with Heath Minister the Hon Nicola Roxon and Senator Carol Brown, “The range of services that will be on offer to Clarence and Risdon Vale locals through this GP Super Clinic will meet the changing health needs of the community”.[1]

“If Labor’s GP Superclinic is the answer to the changing health needs of Clarence and Risdon Vale locals, is it right to conclude that those health needs are also rapidly falling? I strongly suspect not and that the residents of the Eastern Shore have been short changed”, said Senator Bushby.

These problems compound issues of ongoing building delays and the widely reported teething problems associated with appointments and phone systems.

“The centre may also be in breach of some GP Super Clinic requirements and election promises, as it does not yet appear to provide any educational or training programs for new health practitioners, any after hours care or multi-disciplinary care or widespread bulk billing”, Senator Bushby said.

[1] http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr11-nr-nr021.htm
SENATOR DAVID BUSHBY Liberal Senator for Tasmania Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate Chair of the Senate Economics References Committee