SSWAHS = SWSLHD + SLHD and the Medicare Locals - 62

 The big sell(out)! - SSWGP Link + SHDGP

At various times, and in previous posts, Socrates has made reference to the relationship formed between the Macarthur Division of General Practice (now the Sydney South West GP Link) and the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice. For the former, the collaboration is about its further expansionist aims. For the latter, it is all about making sure that some people remain employed. 

But....... does it mean that people in the Southern Highlands will get an improved health service? This is the crucial question to which we have not had an answer simply because we have not had the level of community consultation and public meetings - or the involvement of all the non-government organisations, or the local private and public healthcare providers, or the health consumers in our local community - that the Federal Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) had required prior to the lodgement of any application by the Macarthur-Southern Highlands consortium. 

It is little point in suggesting that the Southern Highland's meek and mild health consumers and health practitioners and NGOs should be happy that the consortium would inform everyone of the details after the event. That still does not comply in any way with the DoHA mandated requirements prescribed in the documentation for submitting for funding of a Medicare Local.

Is BIGGER simply the BEST? How can a consortium, which will control some 700+  GPs over some 320+ practices, possibly provide, or even broker, the most effective and efficient health service to the 40,000+ people of the Southern Highlands?

From its own website description, the Sydney South West GP Link demonstrates and boasts that it is a business seeking "to trade nationally and internationally" and has expansionist aims. 

Do the health consumers in the Southern Highlands really want to compete with other health consumers in the national or international arena?  I think not!

 

History of the Division

"Macarthur Division of General Practice (MDGP) was established in August 1993 as an unincorporated association known at that time as Campbelltown Division of General Practice.

"MDGP was incorporated in 1994 as Macarthur Division of General Practice Inc.

"MDGP's first premises were in Campbelltown Hospital where the Division functioned essentially as part of the Campbelltown Health Service.

"In 1995, MDGP moved to office premises in the Campbelltown CBD area and to the present building in 1996.

"MDGP was also preceded by the unincorporated Macarthur General Practice Association (MGPA) whose main purpose was to provide an educational service for local GPs.

This body continued until 1998 when its role was formally taken over by MDGP.

"MDGP became a registered Company Limited by Guarantee as of 27th June 2005.

This enables the business to trade nationally and internationally as the company evolves.

"As of 1^st July 2009, MDGP was successful in an open tender process, to run General Practice support services in the Liverpool and Fairfield regions. This effectively expanded the business of our support services to the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Liverpool, Fairfield, Campbelltown, Camden and Wollondilly. Our catchment now includes some 600 General Practitioners working in over 280 practices across this large region.

"With our expansion, our members and stakeholders suggested a name change to better reflect the geographical regions we covered. 

"Also in late 2010 the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice (SHDGP) expressed a wish to merge with us in recognition that both organisations could better serve their members under one umbrella. 

"With these issues in mind, at an extra ordinary general meeting held on 30th June 2011, our Division changed its name to Sydney South West GP Link effective from 1st July 2011. 

"We continue to work with SHDGP to progress the merger."