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Aged care GPs overstretched

General practitioners (GPs) are struggling to keep up with the demand for their services in residential aged-care facilities, studies show. And with an ageing population, the situation will worsen unless changes are made.

The Medical Journal of Australia reports that a study of 22 studies of GP services to the aged found half of aged care facilities in 2004 had difficulty obtaining primary care services for their residents.

The reviewers found poor remuneration, time-consuming administrative processes and the reluctance of younger GPs to do nursing home visits were all barriers to improving care. Residential aged care facilities are becoming increasingly reliant on an established cohort of older, predominantly male GPs who themselves may soon be reaching retirement age,” the researchers wrote.

“Initiatives to increase GP access – including improved reimbursement, participation in Aged Care GP Panels, and an enhanced role in palliative care – appear to be having an impact, but it is too early to determine whether they will be sufficient to meet the rapid projected growth in this sector.”

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