Eight out of 10 GPs say government PR and media are contributing to a public perception of ‘greedy doctors,’ a Healthed survey of more than 1900 doctors has found.

Nearly half of GPs believe the two forces are significantly contributing to this narrative—while about 15% pushed back on the notion that such a perception exists.

When the tripled bulk billing incentive was announced last year, Clinical Associate Professor Pradeep Jayasuriya, a Perth GP who runs WA Iron Centre, predicted the government would take credit if it was successful, and blame GPs if it failed. He said the lack of clear communication about the caveats, how it actually works, and its limitations, allow the government to deflect any blame for low uptake onto doctors.

“I think it’s a political game. So, the government goes around trumpeting that they’ve tripled the bulk billing incentive without putting the caveats around who it applies to,” Associate Professor Jayasuria said. “And saying, ‘well, if you’re not getting bulk billed, we’ve given the doctors the money,’ y they’re not giving it to you.’

Here’s what GPs had to say:

Misleading coverage

“The government makes us sound greedy for not bulk billing even though they have not increased the rebate for many years to keep pace with inflation,” one GP said.

“The media are more likely to focus on the small increases that the government gives us, rather than revealing the real facts i.e. that there was a freeze on Medicare rebates for several years and this increase is just a correction, rather than a true increase.”

“Every few years they always produce an ‘academic study’ alleging ‘GP rorting to the tune of billions.’ The stories are never retracted when proven false.”

Public confusion

“Some patients misunderstood and thought doctors got triple payment for all the Medicare item numbers. You wish.” – surveyed GP

‘All doctors are being lumped together’

Several GPs argued that specialists are giving the rest of doctors bad a name.

“I wish the media would differentiate between GPs – who have quite high bulk billing rates – and our Specialist colleagues who charge significant amounts out of pocket for not just procedures but simple consultations especially serial consults,” one surveyed GP commented.

“The public perception of ‘greedy doctors’ is entirely related to private Specialists fees. Every GP has numerous complaints like ‘I’ve paid $200 + for 8 min appointment,’” said another.

But a number of GPs believed most patients could suss out the difference

“I think the public perception is slanted more towards greedy specialists than GPs. I don’t think most patients see GPs as being greedy, but they often resent high specialist fees especially when the face- to-face component of the consult is short.”

“I think this almost exclusively applies to other specialists. Most of my patients can see that General Practice is slowly declining, and few local graduates will go into General Practice now.”

Many patients can see through the spin

“Our patients do not feel this way, they realise there are not enough doctors and we are trying to do all we can for our patients within our waking hours.”

“More patients I encounter realise the government, including the health care agencies in charge, are the real problem and that GPs are over worked, underpaid and underappreciated.”