A Wyndham GP fears the federal government’s new north-western Melbourne Primary Health Network (PHN) will be unable to address the community’s specific needs because it covers too many municipalities.
In July next year, the PHN will replace South Western Melbourne Medicare Local (SWMML) as the organisation responsible
for preventive health and planning in Wyndham.
While SWMML covered just Wyndham and Hobsons Bay, the new north-western Melbourne PHN will stretch from Wyndham to Melbourne, Sunbury to Bacchus Marsh, and Craigieburn to Preston.
Dr Joe Garra said he was surprised by the extent of the network’s boundary, and he had called on the government to ensure the health body has local branches.
“To me, the boundaries don’t make sense. Health needs are specific to one or two suburbs or an area – not an entire region,” he said.
“There needs to be local branches to look after the health needs of areas like Wyndham, otherwise what is the point?
“Without local branches it will be difficult for the network to provide targeted services.”
The government says its new networks will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health services by working directly with GPs and primary care providers.
But Lalor’s Labor MP, Joanne Ryan, said she didn’t believe the network could effectively serve a vast area.
She fears expertise will end up centralised in Melbourne’s CBD.
“The South Western Melbourne Medicare Local has been doing important work on preventive and mental health services, GP practice support and, most importantly, population needs analysis,” Ms Ryan said.
“We need to ensure primary health care networks will understand the needs of our high-growth community so that things like maternity, cardiac and children’s services are located where they’re needed. I’m not sure bureaucrats in CBD Melbourne will be able to balance the inner city with the high-growth and regional areas.”
Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton said the government had reviewed the performance of Medicare Locals and found that a new system would deliver better frontline health-care services.
“Primary Health Networks will deliver better health outcomes for Australians over time by improving the links between local health services and hospital care, and through the better targeting of available funding on effective health programs,” he said. “Primary Health Networks will be clinically focused with general practice at the heart of improving the delivery of primary health care in Australia.”
