Australia is again facing a shortage of doctors. This happened in the mid-1980s and in early 2000s. This time it is more severe. The solution being proposed is a throwback to the ’80s – bring in more doctors from overseas.
On April 30 the Medical Board announced that “A new process to safely fast track internationally trained medical specialists into the Australian health system is coming. GPs, anaesthetists, obstetricians and gynaecologists, and psychiatrists are the priority specialties identified by jurisdictions.”
Funny how in the real world we still reap what we sow. This shortage was predictable.
We are not alone. Projections are that the US will have a shortage of 124,000 doctors (almost the entire Australian medical workforce) by 2034 with 48,000 of this being in primary care. Closer to home, New Zealand is grappling with the same problem as we are. The UK is losing doctors fast!
Although we sometimes pretend that money doesn’t matter – it does! Doctors are not immune to inflationary pressures. This is where economics shows us that human beings will behave in ways that are in their best interests. At a deep level, it is about survival.
Although we
sometimes pretend that money doesn’t matter – it does! Doctors are not immune to inflationary pressures.
So people will look to ways to get best reward for time and effort. The increase in sub-specialised clinics and treatment specific (e.g. semaglutide) telehealth clinics reflects doctors seeing better reward for effort. Please note I am not opining on the morals but the actions.
The Federal Government plans to open 29 more urgent care clinics. Politicians love opening buildings, but when I last checked, no building ever provided medical care. This is essentially the plot of the hospital episode in Yes Minister. The existing ones already struggle to comply with the onerous opening requirements due to, you guessed it, lack of doctors. But don’t expect any action to be taken for breach of contract. Another 29 buildings won’t magically create more doctors.
With state and federal elections due within 12 months, the words of Ronald Regan are truer than ever. The nine most dangerous words in the English language are “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”