Leading GP says after-hours industry entering ‘death spiral’
It comes as a leading provider announces more branch closures
This story has been updated, see footnote.
After-hours GP deputising is entering a “death spiral”, as rebate cuts, a recruitment crisis and growing competition from telehealth hit the viability of services, a leading industry figure has warned.
It comes as Sonic Healthcare’s deputising arm, DoctorDoctor, announced it was closing its operations in Perth as a result of workforce shortages and dwindling demand for home visits.
Four years ago, DoctorDoctor had been one of Australia’s largest operators, covering Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.
