General Practitioner Access

What is it?

A place-based intervention to stabilise and restore access to general practitioner services in St Arnaud, addressing an imminent risk of GP service collapse through workforce attraction, short-term cover, and medium-term service sustainability solutions led by Murray Primary Health Network. 

Why is it needed?

• St Arnaud relies on a single medical practice staffed by two GPs. Loss of these GPs would leave the town without any local GP service.
• GPs are absent for three to four months per year, during which access to primary care is already significantly constrained.
• St Arnaud has one of the lowest GP access rates in western Victoria, well below regional and state averages.
• EWHS provides urgent and low-acuity care, but is not a full service hospital; residents must travel 64 to 77 kilometres to Stawell or Maryborough, or more than 100km to Bendigo, for higher-acuity care.
• Loss of local GP access would directly undermine:
  • Urgent care viability;
  • Chronic disease management;
  • Reduced hospital bypass and ambulance demand;
  • Health outcomes for an older, lower-income community.

The ask

State and Commonwealth co-funding of a coordinated, place-based model to prevent loss of GP services and associated system impacts.

Specifications

• Location: St Arnaud, VIC 3478
• State seat: Ripon
• Federal seat: Mallee
• Advocacy type: Support

• Council plan goal: Live it up: Health, wellbeing and community
• What has been done so far:

• Formal advocacy to the Victorian Minister for Health outlining the critical GP access risk in St Arnaud.
• Active participation in Murray PHN Thin Markets and co‑design process for St Arnaud.
• Place‑based GP access discussions involving:
  • Murray Primary Health Network
  • Department of Health
  • East Wimmera Health Service
  • Council leadership

• Partnerships: 

• Murray Primary Health Network – Lead agency, Thin Markets initiative
• East Wimmera Health Service (EWHS) – Urgent care provider and system partner

• Strategic alignment:

• Council Plan and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025–29
• Victorian Health Services Plan 2024
• Victorian Rural Generalist Program (VRGP)