Australia has too many GPs: report
2nd March 2013
By Paul Smith
Australia is overwhelmed with "too many" GPs who are overservicing patients to boost Medicare earnings, an inflammatory new report claims.
The paper by controversial academic Bob Birrell (pictured) says GPs are "essentially public servants" who should "serve where they are needed".
The demographer at Monash University calls on the federal government to introduce a strict cap on Medicare provider numbers in metropolitan areas to encourage doctors to go rural.
He also challenges claims by governments,