Arabic version: آفاق طب الأسرة الريفي تُظهر تقدماً متفاوتاً

According to ABC News, nearly 33 per cent of medical graduates are training to become general practitioners or rural generalists, easing concerns about broad GP shortages. But health leaders say access to care remains uneven across rural and remote communities, where local arrangements can determine whether a practice succeeds.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners rural chair Michael Clements said further federal investment had reached regional health care, but successful practices relied on coordination between local, state and federal governments. He said agreements on practice rents, hospital staff-sharing, Medicare exemptions, accommodation and training opportunities could help communities build sustainable services.

In Cloncurry, Queensland, Dr Clements said a practice formerly run by one doctor covering hospital and general care was rebuilt through agreements with Queensland Health and other health bodies. Doctors are salaried through Queensland Health while working from a community, privately owned general practice, with Medicare income from appointments returning to Queensland Health.

Other towns are still relying on temporary solutions. Clermont was left without a permanent GP in January, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service has opened a Primary Health Care Clinic within Clermont Hospital. The service, which will operate until early next year, will use fly-in, fly-out GPs on four-week rotations so patients can see the same doctors. In Emerald, GP Ewen McPhee said a community-owned super-clinic established in 2012 helped support training for young doctors and clinicians as general practice increasingly focuses on chronic disease management.