Why are Mission Beach residents making Doctor's appointments in Ingham?

Sari Russo

LAST week, my current advertising representative Debra Mc Ateer bumped into friends from Mission Beach in Ingham.

When she asked why they were visiting Ingham, they answered that they found the Doctor's services in Ingham more convenient to access now there is no longer a Doctor in Mission. Despite their attempts, they were unable to get an appointment in Tully or Innisfail.

After returning from living down south in 2022, Debra and her husband, Peter Mc Ateer, have themselves had trouble getting Doctor's appointments locally.

"I currently have to travel to Innisfail to see my Doctor because when we came back home from living down south during 2022, the Doctors in Mission Beach had been closed, and Tully wasn't taking new patients. So, I have to travel to Innisfail if Peter and I want to see a Dr, or we have to wait in emergency to see a Dr, which can take a long time," said Debra Mc Ateer, who currently lives in Mission Beach.

KENNEDY MP Bob Katter said it amazed him that a place such as Mission Beach, twice voted as one of the most beautiful towns in the country, was struggling to attract a doctor.

"That's a sign something is very wrong," Mr Katter said.

He said he had been in constant contact with several local doctors on the issues they were facing, including Dr Rod Catton of Innisfail and Dr Lisa Fraser of Gordonvale.

Mr Katter said increasing Medicare rebates and wages for GPs, while also addressing immigration issues slowing the efforts of attracting overseas doctors, had already been on the agenda in meetings with the health and immigration ministers.

While Mr Katter's office had been advised a new body has now been established to ease the process of certifying overseas doctors, he said he would continue advocating for increased financial incentives to improve the general practitioner sector.

Mr Katter called for introducing HECS debt incentives for medical graduates who worked in remote and rural Australia and also spruiked the need for mandatory practice in regional areas.

"You want to become a doctor in Queensland and get a license for general practice, then you will spend two years in a position designated by the government - likely a rural or remote appointment," Mr Katter said.

"And the Federal Government should pay doctors serving rural and regional areas an extra $80,000 annually to retain them."

Mr Katter also called for revised entry requirements into medical courses at universities, stating more women needed to be inducted and fewer overseas students.

"Women make great doctors, but where the gap is opening is when they can only work three days a week to be a mother for two days, and that should be encouraged. But that leaves a shortage, so we need more of them studying.

"But we spent more than seven years fighting for a North Queensland medical school, which we got at James Cook University (JCU).

"Our kids previously went to Brisbane, and they never came home.

"Townsville's JCU has been turning out over 200 Doctors a year now for 15 years, and yet our doctor shortages are higher now - so something is going badly wrong here.

"There has to be a stop to the universities being visa shops. The overseas students are taking positions that should be made available for Australians.

"We're putting 200 a year through JCU, I bet there's a significant portion of them who aren't ever going to practice in Australia, and they'll go home."

Tully and Innisfail are also underserviced for GPs. Despite having a GP service in Tully, the service needs to meet the demands required to fully service the Tully and Mission Beach area. Sadly it does not have that capacity.

"If your name is already at the Tully Medical Centre, you will get an appointment, but it will take a couple of weeks to get in," said Ms Barbara Bonaccorso, a resident of Tully, "Today's principal is BOOKAHEAD if you know you need to come back. You can always cancel the appointment if you find that you don't need it."

"I booked to get a referral to get a bone test yesterday. My appointment at Tully Medical centre is on March 16. It will take more than one month to get in," said Ms Sinikka Uski, a resident of Tully, "The Bone test van is in Tully regularly. Still, you can't book yourself in before you get a referral from a GP."

Ms Uski feels caught between a rock and a hard place as the bone van could be fully booked before she gets her referral.

Ms Bonaccorso and Ms Uski reported that the services at the Tully Hospital are a bit easier to access. Still, residents often wait 2, 3, 4 or even up to 5 hours to see a Doctor.

It is only in emergencies that you see a Doctor fast. After you finally get in to see a Doctor and get a referral, it will then take up to five weeks or more to see a specialist or months.

The shortage of GPs in rural areas needs to be addressed quickly. Health care is an essential service that all Australians should be able to access as required.