Community
17 April, 2025
A plan for more doctors, services
INDEPDENDENT candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson has announced plans to bring more doctors and healthcare workers to the region, cuttting waitlists and lowering fees.
Mr Dyson said his plans, if elected, would be tailored to local challenges and contain a range of measures which experts from the National Rural Health Alliance, the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (GPs) have endorsed.
The key measures include a $2 billion Building Rural Hospitals Fund, which aims to deliver critical local hospital upgrades, and a $1 billion National Rural Health Fund to create a safety-net which keeps essential care services operating in smaller communities.
In addition, Mr Dyson said he would push for increasing medical training places in Wannon, increasing rebates for long consults in regional areas and supporting innovative models of care for smaller communities which allow nurse-practitioners and qualified allied health workers to deliver greater levels of care.
“In my thousands of conversations across our region, many people have told me that they are struggling to pay the rising cost of seeing a doctor,” he said.
“The problem is not just rising prices, but getting access.
“It can take months to see a local GP, and years to see a specialist, with many towns losing access to local services altogether.
“It’s clear that the current system is not working for Wannon, which is why we need a local MP who will fight for our unique needs, and will work with whoever is in government to get results.”
Mr Dyson said greater investment was needed in the health sector, and slammed incumbent Member for Wannon Dan Tehan’s record of voting against increasing support for measures which could boost regional health.
“Investing in these measures would make a huge difference for the nearly one-third of Australians who live in rural and regional areas,” he said.
“This would send a powerful message – we matter, our health matters, and we deserve access to quality primary healthcare, close to home.”
South West GP Dr Karoline Gunn is among the health service professionals who have said boosting the regional healthcare workforce was a vital part of improving healthcare services for Wannon.
“We know that healthcare professionals who train in regional areas are much more likely to work in regional areas, and will have a much better understanding of the needs of regional communities,” she said.
Warrnambool GP Dr Kate Carison said increasing rebates for long consults would make a huge difference in regional areas, saving time and stress for both doctors and patients.
“Unfortunately, the waitlists for most local GPs are weeks or even months long - which means many patients arrive with multiple health issues that can’t be treated in a quick, less detailed appointment,” she said.
“By making long consults more affordable, doctors can give more comprehensive care, and resolve multiple issues in one go; reducing unnecessary follow-up appointments, and bringing waitlists down.”
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