GP-to-patient ratios bust official shortage benchmark.

Australian Doctor,  November, 2005  

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by Claire Sweeney

NEW figures have revealed some parts of the country have a staggeringly high doctor-to-patient ratio, with one area at more than double the 1:1400 benchmark used by the Federal Government to define a shortage.

Doctors in the Lingiari electorate, which covers all of NT apart from Darwin and Palmerston, are worst hit by workforce shortages, with a GP-to-patient ratio of 1:2861.

The figures highlight the serious inequity of doctor distribution around the country, with more than 60% of electorates having doctor-to-patient ratios above 1:1400, while some, such ...

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