The doctor shortage !

There is a shortage of general practitioners in many parts of Australia, and this is chronic in country towns.

Unfortunately any type of medical reform is strenuously opposed by doctors who have a history of protecting their turf. The idea of delegating simple tasks is rejected out of hand on the grounds that doctors alone should be the person to make all medical decisions.

A consultation with a general practitioner depends on the individual doctor but usually lasts for a time bracket ranging from ten to fifteen minutes. This severely limits the number of patients that can be seen in any one day - and as a result many people wait weeks to be fitted into the schedule.

The big, glaring waste of time expanding the patient queue is the need for all people with ongoing medication to see their doctor twice a year - to get repeat scripts signed.

The maximum prescription from a doctor calls for the original script, plus five repeats. It is therefore valid for a six month supply.

There seems no reason why issuing prescription repeats could not be delegated to a fully trained nurse.

Doctors object on the grounds that seeing the patient enables them to observe any medical change or adjust the medication needed, but in the great majority of cases getting a repeat script is just a routine that clogs up the doctor's time.

A well trained nurse is capable of noticing any change in a patients condition, and making sure that the minority that need the attention of the doctor are so directed.

Delegating prescription renewals would go a long way into freeing up the workload of general practitioners - and making the medical profession more accessible to those struggling to see a doctor.