GP Communique – March 2021

Updates from Dr Roger Halliwell (Chair of GCPHN) and Dr Kat Mclean (Chair of GPGC Board).

Dr Roger Halliwell Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN) Board Chair COVID-19 vaccination is the big thing we are all anticipating for our community. The national roll-out will involve most general practices, and eventually retail pharmacy. While this process will bring many challenges, it does represent an enormous addition to the suite of responses to the COVID-19 Crisis. I understand that there is an overall aim for every single dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine to be distributed quickly and administered – we do not need to stockpile this vaccine, it is already a rainy day.

With the volume of vaccine available for the start date of 22 March, there is the likelihood of increased dose distribution across Australia as local production ramps up through CSL.

GCPHN has a role in assisting the Commonwealth around the management of this at a local level. With our Gold Coast Health and Hospital Service colleagues, it is fair to say that this will be a big logistics process – a new vaccine, new distribution channels, more work for the whole health sector, managing patient demand and vaccine hesitancy. And of course this is on top of our usual work, including the seasonal flu vaccine! We will continue to support this effort, please engage directly with the GCPHN team if you are looking for advice. There are many resources available, and our website is a good starting point.

I am hearing of significant “COVID-19 fatigue” amongst the Gold Coast community, and as we head into autumn it is reminder that the same isolation and testing rules continue to apply for anyone with respiratory or gastro symptoms. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) appears to be becoming well established amongst school aged children, and old habits appear to be resurfacing with parents sending these unwell children to school. The respiratory clinics have had their contracts extended to the end of 2021 and continue to provide a safe environment for clinical assessment and COVID-19 testing.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the whole health care sector in guiding our patients through a very challenging 12 months. Well done!

Kind regards,
Dr Roger Halliwell

Dr Kat Mclean General Practice Gold Coast (GPGC) Board Chair I am writing this month’s GP communique as we celebrate International Women’s Day. I have deviated from my planned COVID-19 immunisation rollout update to pause and reflect on the impact the pandemic has had on women within our Gold Coast community. The Grattan institute has released the following sobering statistics; Women lost jobs at double the rate than men Women shouldered a disproportionate increase in unpaid work Women were less likely to get government support (short term casual employees in the hardest hit industries were mostly women)

The pandemic has also seen significant increases in domestic violence with an almost 7% increase in family violence, assault, sexual assault and harassment being recorded by Monash University during the initial lockdown period. Conversations with local staff of our support services indicate they remain under considerable pressure.

Whilst we are in a very fortunate position with regards to the pandemic the ongoing effects continue to be felt. The impact will continue to be felt for years to come.

• Women in vulnerable groups remain underemployed compared to men (especially single parents)
• Women face longer term financial impacts related to the compounding effect of a pandemic related break in employment on top of other career breaks. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been added to the average $2 million lifetime earnings gap between men and women.

We are not immune to these impacts in health. Healthcare and social workers have the highest gender pay gap in Australia, this is a staggering 24.4%.

Our female patients have been impacted, as will our female team members.

As GPs we are not immune to gender inequality within our profession. Whilst I don’t have data to hand on the impact here in Australia I don’t’ think it is unreasonable to suggest that gender disparities will have been sharpened over the course of the last year. UK research suggests the existing 33% gender pay gap in General Practice will have been exacerbated, Parallels to the UK research exist in Australia. Unpacking the GP gender pay gap is complex. Female GPs are more likely to manage more issues and complexity within consultations. I am hearing from many of you out there that we are now seeing the impacts of the pandemic on mental health, missed preventative care opportunities, and delays in accessing care.

Females are more likely to see female GPs, accounting for 71% of consultations with female GPs, compared to 51% of male GPs. Females are also more likely to have longer consultations and increased psychological presentations. I know our male GP colleagues will also be seeing patients with complex physical and mental health presentations, the magnitude of this effect is however different across the genders. Female patients are also, as indicated in the above Grattan institute findings more likely to be facing significant financial stressors. These factors are colliding to exacerbate the situation.

Acknowledging and discussing gender inequality is important. There appears to be a growing momentum for change within our communities. As GPs we play a pivotal role in supporting our female patients. We must also extend the conversations to those alongside us. Now is the time to ‘choose to challenge’.

Kind regards,
Dr Kat McLean