The changing scene in general practice

In the short space of a mere eighteen months, doctors in Australia have come to understand the meaning of medical politics and how these problems affect every aspect of their professional existence. In this short time, the medical profession in Australia has come to face the harsh realities of medical economics when the Government is meeting the major part of the cost of providing medical care in the community.

...the profession has been jolted into the realisation that many of its previously-held attitudes either were myths, or were at best quite unsuited to assist them in their new-found situation. As might well be expected with such a conservative group as the medical profession, these changes have resulted in enormous internal pressures to the fabric of organised medicine in Australia, which have produced, in their turn, obvious cracks in the façade of unity which the profession strives to maintain.

...The majority of medical practitioners will, no doubt, adopt a dignified attitude in regard to their name plates and avoid the display of anything which might be regarded as unusual.

Splinter groups have sprung up particularly in general practitioner ranks, all having essentially the same purpose, but all speaking with discordant voices...

For some years now, the student of health-care delivery has realised that, in common with most of the Western world, the pattern of delivering health care to the Australian community has been undergoing considerable changes. In particular, the role of the general practitioner in Australian urban communities has been changing. While the profession's leaders have been aware of these changes, a largely uninterested rank-and-file has been no stimulus for them to experiment or initiate remedies.

It was not until the economic pressures mentioned above provided the necessary stimulus that general practitioners in Australia began to take stock of what was happening. The future role of the general practitioner (and in particular his place in the hospital environment), the place, if any, for the "health centre" in the delivery of health care to the Australian community, and even the role of the general practitioner in the provision of obstetrics services are some of the issues which, only two years ago...would have seemed unreal, but are now matters of common debate.

Lionel L Wilson, Med J Aust 1972; 1: 30