❓ Mr Alban asks about the WA government's efforts to publicise after-hours GP services. The Minister for Health highlights a phone app and upcoming media campaign to raise awareness.
AnsweredQoN 190Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GENERAL PRACTITIONERS — AFTER-HOURS
SERVICES
190. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Health:
I know that the Liberal–National state government, as
one of its election commitments, has been putting substantial funds into
encouraging doctors' surgeries to remain open after hours to better
serve the needs of the community. What, however, is the state government doing
to make people aware of which general practitioners are available after hours?
SERVICES
190. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Health:
I know that the Liberal–National state government, as
one of its election commitments, has been putting substantial funds into
encouraging doctors' surgeries to remain open after hours to better
serve the needs of the community. What, however, is the state government doing
to make people aware of which general practitioners are available after hours?
AnswerView source ↗
Members will be well aware that this government, on coming to
power in 2008, put in $8.4 million to assist in keeping general practices open
after hours. A large number of general practices took advantage of those
available funds and added themselves to the list of those that were open after
hours. As part of that process, we launched a phone app, which is one of most
frequently downloaded phone apps in this state; more than 12 000 people so far
have downloaded that app. It is an after-hours GP app, and I have used it
myself. People can get on the site and it shows their location and the nearest
GP practice open near their location. People click on that and get the phone
number to ring and get an appointment, and if they want to get there, it will
then give directions on how to get there. It is a fantastic app. Lots of GPs
have listed their practices on that app. I have the figures here; there are 53 after-hours
clinics. By ''after hours'', I mean mostly Saturday afternoons,
Sundays or public holidays, so 53 practices have now done that across the
state, with 38 in the metropolitan area, both locum services, and 13 in
regional Western Australia.
The funding to do that was provided over four years, and the
federal government, as I am sure members have heard, will now put in its own
funding to support after-hours GP clinics. Therefore, we are now initiating a
large campaign to make people aware of the existence of that phone app. That
will be a media campaign to make everyone aware. It is critically important.
People can use it on an iPhone or on a computer; in fact, any phone that has
linkages to the internet can use that app. Also, if people ring HealthDirect,
it can provide not only a list of GP practices that are open, but also
information on how to download the app.
If members do not have the app on their phones, it is free,
and I strongly suggest that they get it. People never know when they might need
it, particularly if they have family who are sick after hours. Rather than
going to a hospital when it is not necessarily a serious injury, people can get
on the app, find doctors' practices located around them that are open,
and go there. Another fantastic use is if people are at sports events with
their children, and children are injured, and in an area where they do not know
where the nearest doctor is located, they can just get on the phone, find the
nearest doctor, ring them up, and get the child there straightaway. It is a
fantastic app to have. I recommend that all members get it.
power in 2008, put in $8.4 million to assist in keeping general practices open
after hours. A large number of general practices took advantage of those
available funds and added themselves to the list of those that were open after
hours. As part of that process, we launched a phone app, which is one of most
frequently downloaded phone apps in this state; more than 12 000 people so far
have downloaded that app. It is an after-hours GP app, and I have used it
myself. People can get on the site and it shows their location and the nearest
GP practice open near their location. People click on that and get the phone
number to ring and get an appointment, and if they want to get there, it will
then give directions on how to get there. It is a fantastic app. Lots of GPs
have listed their practices on that app. I have the figures here; there are 53 after-hours
clinics. By ''after hours'', I mean mostly Saturday afternoons,
Sundays or public holidays, so 53 practices have now done that across the
state, with 38 in the metropolitan area, both locum services, and 13 in
regional Western Australia.
The funding to do that was provided over four years, and the
federal government, as I am sure members have heard, will now put in its own
funding to support after-hours GP clinics. Therefore, we are now initiating a
large campaign to make people aware of the existence of that phone app. That
will be a media campaign to make everyone aware. It is critically important.
People can use it on an iPhone or on a computer; in fact, any phone that has
linkages to the internet can use that app. Also, if people ring HealthDirect,
it can provide not only a list of GP practices that are open, but also
information on how to download the app.
If members do not have the app on their phones, it is free,
and I strongly suggest that they get it. People never know when they might need
it, particularly if they have family who are sick after hours. Rather than
going to a hospital when it is not necessarily a serious injury, people can get
on the app, find doctors' practices located around them that are open,
and go there. Another fantastic use is if people are at sports events with
their children, and children are injured, and in an area where they do not know
where the nearest doctor is located, they can just get on the phone, find the
nearest doctor, ring them up, and get the child there straightaway. It is a
fantastic app to have. I recommend that all members get it.
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