Until you examine the detail you don’t always spot the figures and the financial cost in the headlines. The fine print often reveals the devil in that detail.
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So it could be under the revamped rural GP incentives program, but at first examination, the initial reaction from both the medical fraternity and observers is that it is another step in the right direction.
Under the new program, it appears 10 local towns in this region will get more attractive financial incentives to attract doctors.
Importantly, it will also mean more for those already in Manilla, Quirindi, Bingara, Uralla, Werris Creek, Barraba, Walcha, Wee Waa, Guyra and Tenterfield, an increase from July next year.
You could call it sufferance pay, and there are some strings attached.
Under the old program, up to $50 million a year was for doctors to remain in well-serviced regional cities, including Townsville and Cairns, both with populations of more than 100,000.
For towns under 5000 population, the incentive is about $5000 extra.
Yes, it makes more sense to use that money to attract doctors to where the greatest shortages are and not big regional cities.
Well, except if it’s our regional city.
Tamworth GP Jenny May agrees it is “a win” for doctors who are working in smaller district hospitals who provide after hours and hospital care.
The government says the new payment will benefit as many as 450 rural towns, but will not be available to doctors working in cities with a population of more than 50,000.
And there was the danger signal.
Census figures tell us that’s Tamworth.
At last count we numbered about 58,000 in the wider Tamworth area and some 60,500 in the council area.
We could scrape under the bar with the city count which is somewhere between about 43,000 and 53,000 within that 20km zone.
Federal MP Barnaby Joyce has welcomed the new scheme, repeating the payment won’t be available to doctors working in the 14 large regional cities.
That figure at least eases our minds. We’re not, so far as we can calculate, in the top 14 regional cities in Australia.
We come in at about 24, but importantly, further enquiries late yesterday established Tamworth definitely wasn’t in the list.
Under the new deal, doctors will be able to take leave from a rural practice for up to five years with no loss of incentive status but they will need to stay in a rural or regional area longer – two years up from the current six months – before they receive the incentive.
