Regional Victorian GPs warn that staff shortages are driving patients into overcrowded emergency rooms

Regional general practitioners in Victoria are highlighting a severe shortage of primary-care staff, which is pushing patients toward already strained emergency departments. At clinics like Terang Medical, patients wait months for routine visits, while others face two-week delays for their preferred doctor. The shortage is linked to policy changes that relaxed requirements for international medical graduates to serve in remote areas, as well as insufficient financial incentives for doctors to work outside Melbourne.

Practices such as Edgar House Medical in Casterton and Birregurra Medical Clinic struggle to attract permanent staff, relying heavily on expensive locums. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners warns that without increased funding and training support, the crisis will deepen, leading to sicker patients and greater pressure on hospitals.