Name GP Down South Division Number 607 Classification Rural Number of Member GPs 102 State Western Australia Year Established 1993 Number of Member Practices 44 Postcodes Covered 6207, 6208, 6210, 6211, 6213, 6214, 6215, 6218, 6220, 6221 (50%), 6222 (50%), 6223 (50%), 6225, 6240, 6243, 6244, 6251, 6253 (50%), 6254, 6255, 6256, 6258, 6260, 6262, 6275, 6280, 6281, 6282, 6284, 6285, 6286, 6288, 6290 Population 129,312 (2001 Census) Area Covered The Peel/South West Division covers an area of 23,954 square kilometres covering the Peel,Vasse/Leeuwin, Warren/Blackwood and the Wellington regions in the South West region of Western Australia CEO Ms Judy Fraser Chair Dr Mostyn Hamdorf Physical Address: 4 Tindale Street MANDURAH WA 6210 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 3156 MANDURAH WA 6210 Australia Email: office@gpdownsouth.com.au Phone: 08 9581 3352 Fax: 08 9586 1080 Website: http://www.gpdownsouth.com.au Additional Addresses PHYSICAL Branch Office 59 Bussell Highway BUSSELTON WA 6280 Australia POSTAL Branch Office PO Box 602 BUSSELTON WA 6280 Australia EMAIL Branch Office sw.office@peelswdgp.com.au Branch Office sw.office@gpdownsouth.com.au FAX Branch Office 08 9752 4835 PHONE Branch Office 08 9754 3662

GP down south (Peel South West Division of General Practice) covers the geographical region between Mandurah, Dunsborough, Augusta, Northcliffe, Boyup Brook, Collie and Pinjarra. In 1995 General Practitioners from Bunbury formed their own Division. However, the other south west towns of Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River, Augusta, Pemberton, Manjimup, Boyup Brook, Collie, Harvey and Waroona decided to align with Peel. They chose to do so because of the similar health care issues facing smaller rural towns and the similarity of tourist services in Busselton and Mandurah. Bunbury has an extensive industry base, a larger population and is far better serviced with health care and other services.

The Division aims to ensure General Practitioners are central to quality primary health care within the geographical region of the Peel South West Division of General Practice.

Throughout the region there is a shortage of General Practitioners. The inland towns of Pinjarra, Waroona, Harvey, Collie, Bridgetown, Manjimup, Pemberton are most deficient with Nannup and Northcliffe not having a General Practitioner, although one visits from other towns. Some of these regions have one General Practitioner to 5 000 people. The coastal areas seem on paper to have a good supply of General Practitioners, however, due to these towns being holiday destinations, the population can nearly double during weekends, and summer periods. Across the entire Division there are only one full time and 10 part time female GPs.

Due to the rate of population growth within the region the shortage of General Practitioners is an increasing problem. Some practices having been trying to find Doctors for well over a year in the better-serviced regions. In the less serviced regions they have been advertising for two to three years. Locums and holiday relief are also major issues. Group practices can usually cover holidays but a number of solo or two person practices find this very difficult.

The Peel South West Division of General Practice has 13 Health Services within the region. Most of the Health Services have conducted community health surveys and we have examined each of their strategic plans to identify areas we may have missed and to ensure that we are not duplicating services.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

Dramatic rises in the childhood immunisation rates, computerisation of General Practices, local educational opportunities for GPs and Practice staff and Australia's highest percentage of Accredited Practices within a Division.

Support provided to GPs and clients in the area of Diabetes and work in Aboriginal Health lead to improved population health.

The MoU with Peel Mental Health and the positive difference made to 'at risk' young people in Peel by the Youth for Life service are examples of successful collaborative efforts.

The development of a local service directory for each of the main areas in the region and the facilitation of Community Health Advisory Groups in the northern and southern sectors of the Division.

The Peel South West Division of General Practice continues to work closely with over 30 Non-government and government organisations with joint funding submissions and joint funding of projects. Some of these included Integration of Primary Health Care Services in a Rural Women's refuge, Youth for Life Project. (A suicide prevention project funded by the State Health Department Alcohol and Drug Community Detoxification project, to establish detoxification services in the Peel region.)

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

• To effectively and efficiently manage resources to ensure the Peel South West Division of General Practice is in a position to coordinate primary health care in the region.
• To improve the quality of health services throughout the Division.
• To improve the management and health of people with diabetes or 'at risk' of diabetes throughout the division.
• To improve the health of Aboriginal people within the region.
• To improve the management and health of people with or 'at risk' of developing mental health problems. Note: Mental health includes alcohol and drugs, suicide and domestic violence.