Please sign only if you are an RACGP or AMA member

The future of Australian General Practice is at stake. General Practice has largely been funded by fee for service (FFS) models for the last 40 years. All other medical specialties are funded in this model.

Despite capitation failing in every country comparable with Australian healthcare - the government continues to push for its implementation in Australia. The reason government does this is clear - they can use it to cut costs, increase bureaucratic control over the patient-doctor relationship, and data mine.

The reasons for bodies like the AMA and RACGP to potentially support capitation through Voluntary Patient Enrolment (VPE) are less clear. As the winner of the popular vote in the last RACGP presidential election I know that the vast majority of GPs do not support this move.

VPE is the thin edge of the wedge for capitation - government has shown its' ultimate intention multiple times in the past two decades with their "medical homes" model in which FFS was banned for enrolled patients. Once VPE is introduced, government will continue to slowly defund fee for service medicine while increasing funding proportionately through VPE. This will eventually leave us with an effectively fully capitated system. Capitation has destroyed comparable health systems like the United Kingdom. We must stop capitation and VPE for the sake of our patients.

VPE enforces a "one size fits all" approach to the doctor-patient relationship. Those that spend more time with patients, or primarily deal with mental health  - particularly female GPs - will be penalised and lose funding in real terms.

VPE completely ignores and diminishes the role of GPs with Special Interest (GPsWSI) - including sexual health GPs, and skin cancer doctors - meaning increased patient fees and decreased access to care.

Payroll tax issues are a minefield that their has been no discussion surrounding. Capitated payments will almost certainly lead to negative payroll tax decisions for practices which may force hundreds of GP clinics to close.

The RACGP and AMA have forgotten that they exist for members and not the other way around. I call on any GP who is a member of either organisation to sign this petition and insist that representative bodies actually represent members and not pursue their own interests. GPs must be asked if they support one of the most drastic changes to funding ever!

All we are asking is that these organisations represent the will of their members. I call on the RACGP and AMA to actually survey their members on whether they want VPE/capitation or whether they want to continue being funded through a fee for service system. I call on the RACGP and AMA to explain to members why they think GPs should be funded through capitation, but no other medical specialty (including primary care longitudinal specialities like paediatrics).