This week as the World AIDS Day was marked, the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) called on the Federal Government to boost patients’ access to preventive care by investing in providing longer consultations.
The RACGP says its time for rethink about how doctors and health services support those who are most at risk of contracting the virus. While contracting HIV was seen as fatal for almost every patient who acquired the infection. Today medications have turned HIV into a manageable chronic illness, and drugs like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prevent HIV transmission in 99% of cases.
RACGP Specific Interests Sexual Health Medicine Chair Dr Sara Whitburn said while general practices, including sexual health-specific general practices, offer the most convenient access to PrEP for patients at higher risk of developing HIV or AIDS, this often comes with out-of-pocket costs.
“The patients more at risk of HIV infection are often the same patients who are least able to pay a gap fee,” she said.
“PrEP means we can provide patients at elevated risk prevention options but consults to initiate and continue PrEP prescriptions take time. Medicare provides lower per-minute funding for longer consults, which means patient fees end up as the only option to cover the gap between the Medicare rebate and the cost of providing care.
“This is important for patients who GPs have generally known to be at higher risk of exposure. But there are other populations where diagnoses are too often missed, or diagnosis comes late.
“Patients who experience socioeconomic disadvantage, have substance use disorders, or come from culturally and linguistically diverse communities too often miss screening opportunities. Boosting access to earlier care and prevention can be lifesaving.”
“The 2025 RACGP Health of the Nation found 85% of GPs provide sexual health screenings, and 84% want to provide more preventive care, but 75% of GPs say this care is not adequately incentivised by Medicare.
“Appropriate Medicare rebates for longer consults will help GPs provide high-quality care that prevents HIV and where a patient has been exposed, support them to manage and treat an infection as soon as possible.” Dr Whitburn said.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright urged GPs and other health and medical practitioners to make use of tools like ASHM’s Could It Be HIV? Clinical Indicator Tool support GPs to catch HIV as soon as possible.
“Testing for sexually transmitted infections (or STIs) should include both HIV and syphilis testing, and funding that better supports preventive care in general practice means more GPs could offer this testing to appropriate patients,” he said.
“These infections are treatable and also preventable. Early detection allows early treatment and reduces transmission and benefits the whole health system.”
