Invitation for Submissions: Inquiry Into Access To Primary Health Care Services (closing 26 June 2009)

The ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Health, Community and Social Services is seeking public submissions for their Inquiry Into Access To Primary Health Care Sevices.

With the recent closure of the Kippax Family Practice and growing concern over the shortage of practicing general practitioners in the ACT, the Legislative Assembly, on 25 March 2009, referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Health, Community and Social Services for inquiry.

The terms of reference for the inquiry include:

• the role of nurse practitioners, allied health assistants and other health professionals in providing primary health care;
• GP clinic closures since 2001;
• the current level of GP shortages in the ACT and the reasons pertaining to this shortage;
• how to arrest, and reverse, the decline in GP numbers in the short and longer term;
• strategies to attract and retain GPs in suburban clinics;
• linkages between Government and non?government health care providers including innovative and best practice models; and
• any other related matter.

The Committee is inviting written submissions and would like to hear from anyone with an interest in this matter. Submissions are requested by 26 June 2009 and public hearings will begin in late July.

This inquiry is running concurrently with the ACT Government?s GP Taskforce which is expected to report back to the Assembly by September 2009. The Health, Community and Social Services Committee is expected to report back to the Assembly by December 2009.

For further information contact:

• Committee Chair, Mr Steve Doszpot on 02 62050131
• Committee Secretary, Ms Grace Concannon on 02 6205 0129

Submissions should be forwarded for the following address:

The Secretary
Standing Committee on Health, Community and Social Services
Inquiry Into Access To Primary Health Care Sevices
GPO Box 1020
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: committees@parliament.act.gov.au