PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd made a rare visit to a general practice today, stopping in at the Sydney clinic of Dr Liz Marles, chair of the RACGP’s NSW and ACT faculty.

Mr Rudd told reporters he was grateful for the opportunity to hear first-hand the needs and problems facing local GPs, before using the occasion to again trumpet Monday’s announcement that the Government would increase GP training places and placements.

“There is simply not enough GPs at present, and secondly the biggest complaint from patients is not being able to get an appointment with their GP or their preferred GP on time - and that means we have to deal with this whole question of medical workforce,” he told reporters after spending over half an hour touring the small practice.

Dr Marles said the PM discussed and understood the need for greater vertical integration in GP training and greater supports to allow trainers to spend time with registrars and junior doctors.

“[Mr Rudd] was very much trying to say that he was hearing the messages we were putting forward and that general practice is very much on his agenda – he sees it as a significant part of health reform,” Dr Marles told MO.

“I think it is important for the PM to see these types of environments that we work in, and that we are seeing patients often in very limited spaces, but also that we are really enthusiastic about our profession.”