THE Labor Party has announced it will expand the overseas trained and bonded doctor access to Medicare, ensuring more GPs work in outer suburban and regional centres.

“If elected, we will make it easier for people across Ipswich, including rural towns and the Karana Downs area, to see a GP,” said Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann.

In an announcement on Friday, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler said that Labor would designate all of Ipswich and the Springfield - Redbank and Rosewood areas as Distribution Priority Areas (DPA) for overseas trained and bonded GPs.

“Access to GP services shouldn’t be reserved for those that live in our biggest cities,” Mr Butler said.

Local GPs gave critical evidence to the recent Senate Inquiry into GP shortages saying “It is the strong belief of this practice that the classification as non-DPA has significantly hindered recruitment efforts.

“With more GPs, the practice could provide bulk billing services to the region of Ipswich seven days a week, after hours care, have greater management of our chronic disease and mental health and re-participate in the Covid-19 vaccination rollout.”

Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said he has been fighting the classification inequities for many years.

“There is a critical lack of doctors across Ipswich, in Karana Downs and throughout the Somerset Region,” Mr Neumann said.

“Local GPs have been telling me for the past few years that the Morrison Government’s changes to the classification system and Medicare rebate freeze have made it much harder to get new GPs to their practices.

“Covid has exacerbated the issue, with patients being turned away from GP clinics, while older GPs are forced to come out of retirement or delay retirement, just to meet the demand.

“I want to thank the local GPs who have been working tirelessly to support our communities and who have taken time to meet with me and outline the issues affecting their practices and raise their concerns.”