Western Australia is facing a severe shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) and specialists, placing immense pressure on the state’s healthcare system.

Despite this growing crisis, WA Labor has repeatedly failed to take action, dismissing GP shortages as a Federal issue while neglecting the critical role of specialists in supporting WA’s health services.

WA currently has only 98 GPs per 100,000 people, well below the national average of 111.

This shortage is particularly severe in regional and rural areas, where many struggle to access basic healthcare services.

Making matters worse, almost 30 per cent of GPs intend to retire in the next five years, with many practices unable to source or retain replacements.

As a result, Western Australians are experiencing longer wait times for GP appointments, forcing many to seek treatment in urgent care clinics and hospital emergency departments, even when their condition does not require emergency care.

Others are simply delaying medical treatment altogether, leading to worse long-term health outcomes and a growing burden on the health system.

The shortage of specialists is equally dire. WA hospitals are understaffed, with too few training positions available to meet demand.

Junior doctors are leaving WA to pursue specialist training elsewhere, worsening workforce shortages and increasing reliance on costly overseas recruitment.

A WA Liberal Government will take decisive action by investing in GP training, expanding specialist training positions, and ensuring a strong, well-supported medical workforce for the future.

Instead of acknowledging and addressing these shortages, WA Labor has failed to invest in GP and specialist training programs, leaving hospitals overstretched and primary care services under-resourced.

WA cannot afford more years of inaction from the Labor Government.

Our state needs more investment in GPs and specialists, ensuring Western Australians have timely access to the healthcare services they need, no matter where they live.

Only a WA Liberal Government will deliver it.

The WA Liberals believe that sustainable access to primary healthcare starts with supporting and training our doctors.

GPs are not only the first point of contact for patients but should also be the last point of contact when leaving the hospital, as patients who fail to see a GP within seven days of discharge face a significantly higher risk of readmission.

To address this, the WA Liberals will invest in GP and upskilling initiatives, including $60 million over four years to ensure that patients with clinical needs receive a free follow-up appointment with a GP within seven days of hospital discharge.

This initiative will not only improve patient recovery and long-term health outcomes but also generate significant cost savings for the healthcare system by reducing avoidable hospital stays.

We will also commit $50 million to a health package designed to boost GP numbers and improve specialist training.

To address WA’s GP shortage, the Community Residency Program will provide 150 Resident Medical Officers with hands-on general practice experience, rather than limiting their training to hospital environments as is the current practice.

To further encourage more doctors to pursue a career in general practice, the WA Liberal Government will introduce a $40,000 GP Training Incentive, providing grants to junior doctors to help bridge the income gap between hospital-based junior doctors and those training as GP registrars.

The WA Liberals are committed to upskilling existing GPs to expand their role, including by funding training for GPs to co-prescribe ADHD medications, ensuring faster access to treatment and reducing reliance on specialists.

Alongside strengthening GP training and follow-up care, the WA Liberals will invest $10 million per annum in specialist training, ensuring that junior doctors can pursue careers in high-demand specialties such as general surgery, emergency medicine, obstetrics, psychiatry, and anaesthetics.

By expanding specialist training positions and providing financial support for placement-related costs, this initiative will retain more medical professionals in WA, reduce workforce shortages, and improve access to specialist-led care.

Western Australians deserve timely and effective healthcare, and only the WA Liberal Party is committed to investing in GPs, strengthening primary care, and ensuring that every patient can access the care they need when they need it.