Retired Whyalla surgeon questions incentives scheme to attract rural doctors
ABCA retired Whyalla surgeon says a doctor shortage on the Eyre Peninsula is putting lives at risk. Key points: A retired surgeon says a drain in expertise in regional areas is putting lives at risk 18 per cent of medical graduates are choosing to be GPs and even fewer to work in regional towns The Rural Doctors Association has welcomed a review of programs and incentives for health outcomes The Rural Doctors Association of South Australia says just 18 per of all medical graduates are becoming general practitioners with even fewer practising in rural areas, compared with 50 per cent three decades ago. Lives at risk "Rural medicine is dying, the competency of rural nursing is going down because they're not exposed to things because everything gets referred out of the rural areas," Mr Damp said. "Because people don't manage problems on a regular basis they'll refer you and if the referral team doesn't get you in time, you'll die and that's just the honest truth," Mr Damp said. "Back when I started, when I came to Murray Bridge 36 years ago, 50 per cent of doctors who graduated from medical school would go into general practice," Dr Rischbieth said.
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