South Australian doctors say South Australia needs an overarching health strategy to ensure every person can access safe, timely care from a qualified health professional, no matter where they live.
Doctors in South Australia are calling on all parties to commit to three clear priorities ahead of the March election: map the state's healthcare gaps, plan the medical workforce properly, and cut red tape that stops doctors working where they're needed.
The SA College Chairs Committee, an alliance of ten medical colleges who together represent the majority of doctors in the state, says while previous reviews have provided valuable insights into specific services or locations, the state lacks a comprehensive health strategy that encompasses all regions, communities and health needs.
Currently, South Australia has no up-to-date map of unmet health needs and service gaps across metropolitan, regional and remote communities, making it impossible to plan properly as the population grows and ages.
Health services are also struggling to fill roles due to workforce shortages, directly affecting patients' access to timely care in the state’s health system. But there's no coordinated statewide plan to align training and recruitment with where communities actually need doctors.
Meanwhile, the current credentialing system forces doctors to repeat the same paperwork for every hospital where they work, creating delays that can take months while patients wait for care.
The alliance is calling on all parties to commit to building a comprehensive vision that drives priorities and investment across the entire state, so that the billions of dollars invested in health delivers the best possible outcomes for the people of South Australia.