A DECLINE in bulk-billing services, coupled with rising GP appointment cancellations, is putting added strain on Ipswich’s healthcare system, where more than a third of the population live with a long-term health condition, according to the latest Census data.
With 34.4 per cent of residents affected by a long-term health condition compared to 32.6 per cent of South East Queensland, the community is grappling with growing challenges in accessing the care they need, highlighting the urgent need for action to improve healthcare availability in the region.
Recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows more than 1.5 million Australians did not see a GP in 2023 to 2024 due to unaffordable out-of-pocket costs, as the new Blue Report from Cleanbill highlights a bleak picture for the year ahead in primary healthcare.
The state has seen a 12.6 per cent drop in its bulk-billing rate for adult patients in the past two years and is now well below the national average.
Just 13.9 per cent of Queensland doctors offer bulk-billing, down from 17.6 per cent the year before and below the national average of 20.7 per cent.
Out-of-pocket costs have jumped 5 per cent in just one year, more than double the rise in Medicare rebates.
Karla Maree, a Redbank Plains resident with a chronic health condition, expressed grave concerns about the worsening healthcare crisis in Ipswich.
“We’re witnessing a healthcare crisis that’s overwhelming our hospitals and costing lives. In Ipswich, this is happening every day,” she said.
Ms Maree explained how the shortage of bulk-billing services was affecting vulnerable residents, adding hospitals and clinics were at capacity, and bulk-billing clinics were so stretched that appointments were often booked out for a month or more.
She labelled the situation as “unacceptable”.
Ms Maree shared her personal experience of having to switch to a private billing practice due to the lack of available care at her bulk-billing clinic.
Ms Maree also spoke about the dire situation faced by elderly individuals.
“I’ve spoken to elderly women who are forced to ration life-saving medication because the earliest appointment they can get for a repeat prescription is five weeks away,” she said.
“Our healthcare system is at breaking point, and immediate action is needed.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Michael Wright said Medicare needed greater support as current funding did not incentivise clinics to have longer times spent with patients.
He said there had been significant investment into free urgent care clinics from the Federal Government, but these services were limited to a handful of locations.
