AMA calls for major boost to Workforce Incentive Program to meet growing patient needs
The Australian Medical Association is calling for an expansion of the Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) to enable more nurses and allied health professionals to work in general practice.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said while more funding was allocated to the WIP in the 2023–24 budget, substantial further investment was still needed to meet the complex healthcare needs of Australia's growing and ageing population.
"General practice teams need greater funding support to deliver the comprehensive care that today's patients require,” Dr McMullen said.
The WIP has been a real success story, supporting general practices around the county to employ nurses and allied health professionals as part of a GP-led team to improve access to care for patients and further investment in this proven model would enable general practices to do even more.
The AMA’s Modernise Medicare campaign is calling for a $401.4 million investment over four years to expand the WIP, enabling practices to employ the nurses and allied health professionals they need to deliver timely and accessible care for patients.
"GPs are managing more health problems in each consultation and spending more time with patients as the incidence of chronic disease continues to rise,” Dr McMullen said.
“We urgently need to fund more nurses and allied health professionals to work alongside GPs to deliver the long-term treatment, care and patient education services that are crucial for better health outcomes.
"The evidence clearly shows that when we enable GP-led, collaborative care under one roof, we get better results for patients and reduce pressure on hospitals."
Dr McMullen emphasised that inadequate support for multidisciplinary general practice would have significant impacts on the future quality and accessibility of primary care.
"Without proper investment in practice teams now, we risk severely limiting access to the comprehensive primary care that keeps Australians healthy and out of hospital. The WIP expansion we're proposing would pay for itself many times over by enabling better preventive care and chronic disease management."
Dr McMullen will discuss the critical importance of expanding the WIP during the AMA's Western Australia roadshow this week, including at a visit to the Pramana Medical Centre.
