Health professionals, politicians, public to meet amid GP health crisis in Armidale

The chair of the New England Division of General Practice is the guest speaker at The Future of Primary Health Care, being held at the Armidale Bowling Club on February 15.

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall and Uralla's Deputy Mayor Robert Crouch are expected to attend, along with clinicians, civilians, politicians and representatives from health organisations.

Dr Howell said about eight doctors in Armidale have relocated or retired in the two months to February 3, leaving thousands of patients potentially without a GP.

"With the loss of the supervisors, we also have the issue where registrars can no longer be supported in practice," Dr Howell said.

She said it is incredibly important for health professionals, politicians and members of health organisations to get together in one room to come up with some immediate and long-term solutions to the health crisis.

During the Q and A part of the event, Dr Howell will answer questions on issues such as better funding for practice nurses and the collapse of after-hours medical care.

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"We will also be calling on all levels of government to restore health services in Armidale," Dr Howell said.

New England Visions 2030 founder Maria Hitchcock organised the event, saying this is the next step after the petition to split the Hunter New England Health District HNELHD attracted a whopping 16,000 signatures last year.

The petition was debated on the floor of the Legislative Assembly in November 2022, with demands to directly employ doctors in hospitals, improve the staff-to-patient ratio, and reinstate the former New England health service in Tamworth.

However, Ms Hitchcock has said that when the Minister for Rural Health Bronnie Taylor last visited Armidale, it seemed as though she had already made up her mind there was not going to be a split.

"That was most unfortunate because we had some fairly passionate doctors in support of it. So we've had a concession on that. The focus now is on GPs."

The Department of Health is currently looking at introducing the Murrumbidgee Model across NSW health districts, which would see trainee doctors employed in hospitals and GP clinics under the Single Employer Model.

But Ms Hitchcock said that even though she is in support of the model, it could take years for it to be implemented in this region.

"I don't think the people in Armidale really understand what is going on," she said.

"It's obvious there is a major crisis here. And we've got to do something about it now."

Those interested in attending are being urged to RSVP to newenglandvisions2030@gmail.com before registrations close on February 13.

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