Doctor shortage high on the agenda at Health minister meeting
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Kim Hames will meet the federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon this week.
The Western Australian Health Minister Kim Hames says discussing solutions to the doctor shortage in country areas will be high on his agenda when he meets his Federal counterpart on Friday.
A recently released Commonwealth report shows on average people in New South Wales receive $200 more each year than West Australians through public health benefits schemes.
Doctors say the shortfall is probably a result of people in rural areas being forced to visit public hospitals because of the shortage of GPs.
Dr Hames says he will be discussing solutions to the problem when he meets Ms Roxon later in the week.
"The money needs to be provided so that the State Government can properly provide those services that it needs to and provides them at a local level through particularly increased Commonwealth funding of GP type services," he said.
