GP Access After Hours Newcastle: Open letter calls for community outrage to be heard over slated clinic closure

In an open letter signed by five leading members including the chair, deputy chair and secretary, the Hunter GP Association said the after hours GP Access service, operating from a Calvary Mater clinic, had provided more than one million hours of urgent consultations to Hunter patients over 20 years, and was a "valued and much loved" part of the community.

"Static funding from successive federal governments, the failure of successive federal governments to adequately index Medicare Rebates, and the withdrawal of funding support by the local health district indicate that all parties are at best short-sighted; and at worst, do not sufficiently value the after hours healthcare of Novocastrians," the letter says.

The rebuke, and plea to save the services, comes as Hunter Primary Care, which runs the GP Access After Hours service, confirmed last week it planned to close its clinic and reduce operating hours due to current funding not keeping up with operational costs.

Meanwhile, The NSW government has refused to respond to questions regarding the state's withdrawal of funds from GP Access After Hours, pointing to comments made by Hunter New England Health chief Michael DiRienzo last week which said funding the service was primarily a Commonwealth responsibility.

But the Department of Health has told the Newcastle Herald that any questions about the reduction in funding for the service must instead be directed to the NSW government.

A petition launched by the federal member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, has since collected more than 8000 signatures to "save'' the service. Community members have also lent their voice to supporting the "much loved" and "well used" GP Access.

Ms Claydon said it was "very clear" the Morrison government was responsible for the funding of primary care services, while the state delivered acute and tertiary health services.

"I've seen correspondence from the Minister to the service that said they should take it up with NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, about the more recent decline in funding," she said.

In the open letter, published on Friday, signatories Dr Fiona Van Leeuwen, the Hunter GP Association chair, along with deputy chair Dr John Goswell, secretary Dr Lee Fong and management committee members drs Colin Pearce and Marie-Anne Hockings, described the service as an "absolute god-send" particularly for parents of sick and injured children and express concern for the future of the service and the consequent pressure on emergency departments during the ongoing pandemic, should the clinic close.

A Department of Health spokesperson told the Herald last week that Hunter Primary Care has been funded for "many years" through the federal government's Primary Health Network (PHN) After Hours Program.

"The PHN has contributed over $4.3 million a year since 2017 plus a one-off top up amount in the last financial year taking the 2020-21 investment to $5.9 million," he said. "This funding was added in recognition that the NSW government had reduced funding in the order of $450,000. Questions around the reduction in funding should be directed to the NSW government."

Hunter New England Health, on behalf of the state, had supported GP Access After Hours with $559,000 per annum from 2010 until 2020.

In the 2021 financial year, the state's contribution to the service dropped to $105,200, with financial support to be withdrawn in 2022.

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