Vaccine supply is the biggest issue for regional and rural GPs working to vaccinate their communities against coronavirus according to the Rural Doctors Association of Australia.
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RDAA chief executive Peta Rutherford said vaccine distribution will increase among GPs as the federal government provides more doses.
"I think the biggest issue at the moment is now the supply of vaccines," Ms Rutherford said. "We know it's coming, the supply is increasing and the prime minster has announce an extra 500,000 doses.
"We understand this will be distributed among GPs as well and that will include bringing forward practices waiting in wing to start Pfizer vaccinations."
Bendigo MP LIsa Chesters, based in central Victoria, said as well as more vaccination doses, regional and rural GPs deserved more financial support from the federal government to help roll out the vaccine at times that suited smaller communities.
"We know NSW is ahead of Victoria in the vaccine rollout because GPs are doing it after hours and on weekends but, also the NSW government is topping up GPs to ensure they are not left out of pocket," Ms Chesters said.
"The Victorian government is considering that but it is really not a state government responsibility. The federal government is responsible for GPs and Medicare
"If we want to get vaccinated and have everyone have that opportunity to get vaccinated as soon as possible, we need our GPs to be better funded through Medicare to do it properly."
Ms Rutherford said doctors with busy patient workloads who were using weekends to run vaccination clinics were being remunerated.
"The government did respond with one of our biggest issues which was was because of information overload," she said. "GPs in particular found they were having to provide information to patients about vaccines and counselling them about it.
"The federal government created additional item numbers (for reimbursement) that GPs can use when they need to do that sort of counselling."
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Ms Rutherford said having more rural doctors would assist better with the vaccine rollout.
"If had more doctors you could do more," she said. "Even if you provide more money, there are still only so many hours a day a doctor can work. A lot of GP practices have done an excellent job in working Saturdays, Sundays and after hours to get as much of their community vaccinated."
Ms Chesters said, as well as more funding, the federal government should continue to push for an increase in vaccines.
"The government needs to get on the phones and work with pharmaceuticals," she said. "It is great to hear we have more vaccines coming from Singapore in a vaccine swap but we need to do more.
"It shouldn't be a cost factor, it should be getting on the phones and getting it done. Yesterday we received data Bendigo is still doing well in terms of the vaccine rollout."
"The uptake has always been about making it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated. People will go to the service that best suits them and that's why we want GPs to come on board."
On Wednesday morning, Bendigo Health chairman Bob Cameron said 40.7 per cent of Greater Bendigo residents were fully vaccinated with at least 62 per cent having received their first dose.
Ms Rutherford said she expected more GPs to start offering COVID-19 vaccines as supply increase.
"We've been advised more GP practices are coming online," she said. "That will be bought forward with practices due (commence vaccinations) in late September.
"If the GPs have doses, they will be giving them out. If they are getting doses, they are making sure they are provided to patients with appointments as fast as supply allows."