media releases

“The opening of the first stand alone nurse practitioner lead clinic in Brisbane tomorrow will try to fill a gap in services which patients want and deserve but it is far from the best way to make use of these highly skilled people,” said Dr Tracy Schrader, president, Doctors Reform Society. “Waiting 40 minutes at a surgery, or 2 weeks to get a review appointment, or having to pay $30 just to get a repeat prescription with no questions asked leaves patients wondering about alternatives and such a clinic will provide such an alternative.”

There are two main concerns about this type of clinic however,” said Dr Schrader. “First this  is yet another expansion of the fee for service model of rebates and copayments which means that patients who don’t live in inner urban areas are likely to miss out on this kind of service, just like they do GP and specialist services, and as a business model the pressure will emerge to charge more copayments and leave the most needy out.”

 “Second is the concern that, as a clinic of nurse practitioners with limited general practitioner input, this is the exact opposite of the model of primary care that is needed to deal with the increasing complexity of community medical problems.

 “The best use of nurse practitioners in areas where there are already GPs and other health professionals would be to see this service as part of a salaried general practice, with nurse practitioners working side by side GPs and other health professionals, increasing the availability of care whilst optimising the opportunity for interaction of nurse practitioners, GPs, and others for the benefit of all patients.”

Dr Tracy Schrader    Dr Tim Woodruff  

President   Vice President      

Doctors Reform Society                 

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