Katanning GP workforce improved “four-fold” says Health Minister

After recurring issues with doctor shortages in recent years, Katanning’s medical workforce is on the upswing, having improved “four-fold” over the past financial year, according to Health Minister Roger Cook. During questioning in State Parliament in May it was revealed there were 24 occasions from July 1, 2019 to March 30 this year when there was no doctor “available to be rostered or rostered on-call” at the Katanning emergency department. The data indicated an improvement from the previous year, when it was revealed there were 104 occasions from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 when no doctor was available to be rostered. The on-call roster of doctors at the Katanning Health Service is supported by specialised nurse practitioners and 24/7 telehealth services connecting staff on the ground to specialists at metropolitan sites. Despite the recent data also revealing there was no full-time equivalent salaried doctor employed at the Katanning Health Service, a collaborative approach between local and State healthcare providers and the Shire of Katanning had made inroads, Mr Cook said. Mr Cook said there had been “a four-fold improvement in medical workforce coverage” at the Katanning hospital so far this financial year. “This significant improvement can be attributed to the efforts of the WA Country Health Service, Rural Health West, St Luke’s Medical Centre, the Southern Regional Medical Group and the Shire of Katanning,” he said. “Katanning Hospital and Narrogin Hospital have cross-credentialed a number of clinical staff, meaning that some of the doctors can work across both sites as demand arises.” A WA Country Health Service spokeswoman said Katanning’s medical workforce coverage had “improved significantly”. “While there is still work to be done, community members should be assured those requiring care through the hospital emergency department will always receive it,” she said. The Shire of Katanning announced in April that Albany-based Southern Regional Medical Group had been appointed as the service provider at a new medical centre to be located in the old Shire administration building. The Shire secured $505,000 in Federal funding for the project last year, which will provide modern facilities and help bring more specialist practitioners to Katanning. Shire of Katanning president Liz Guidera said the Shire hoped to award the design and contract tender for the community medical centre within the next month. “The practice will add two doctors which will build the capacity of general practice provision within Katanning,” she said. Ms Guidera said the team at St Luke’s Family Practice had been working hard to keep doctors in town. “We would hope that one of our key worker houses in the new residential subdivision can be allocated to doctors and perhaps others would look at investing in good quality housing to be available for medical professionals,” she said. Having lobbied for Katanning’s medical workforce for many years, Roe MP Peter Rundle said seeing a significant improvement in doctor coverage “takes pressure off everywhere”. “There appears to be a much better continuity in the number of doctors in the emergency centre and when people go in there, there is someone there to see them,” he said. He said the Shire’s new medical practice was a positive step to strengthen Katanning’s medical workforce. “Any more number of doctors is welcome in any regional community so that is good news not only for Katanning but the surrounding towns,” he said. “It is heartening to see a bit of light on the horizon.”