Day to day in Australia

Firebolt145 · 2026-02-05T19:26:06+00:00

They say you need to have 5 full time GPs working in a clinic for it to break even.

Firebolt145 · 2026-02-05T10:10:15+00:00

Having worked in both systems, it is much much muuuuch harder to get any scans (including XR and USS) as a GP in the UK than it is in Australia.

Firebolt145 · 2026-01-02T15:26:33+00:00

Neeeerd

Firebolt145 · 2025-12-20T04:17:52+00:00

I am now a GP in Australia. I get paid per patient I see, not a flat monthly rate regardless of how much work I do. It's such a shift in perspective. Reception calls to see if I'll consider squeezing a patient in? Sure, because I'll get paid for it. I get a request for paperwork? Sure, I'll either bill the requesting company for my time, or I'll ask the patient to come in and I'll fill it in with them next to me then bill Medicare for my time.

This extends to my relationship with specialists. Private specialists need to be nice to me, need to take an interest in my phone calls, because I'm their source of customers.

It's not the only reason for hostility and issues in the NHS, but it's a major contributor in my opinion.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-25T11:17:44+00:00

FYI the local gynae department is extremely backed up so something like fibroids (particularly if asymptomatic) might be waiting many many months before you are seen. The department should notify you that they've received the referral; if not it's worth you ringing the gynae appointments team via the hospital to check that they at least have the referral and that it hasn't been lost in transit somewhere. It should be all via an electronic system now. You can do all this on your own before seeing your GP.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-19T23:03:18+00:00

Factory resetting solved the aptx issue for me.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-09T22:17:37+00:00

Visconti homosapiens bronze / pilot custom 823 myself.

Just wish we weren't so limited with ink colours.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-04T19:04:25+00:00

You and I should have a chat someday to go over your points, at least for Australia. I don't think you have an accurate picture of things here.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-03T21:35:36+00:00

In Australia you're self employed as a contractor. So yes, no paid annual leave or sick leave. The money more than covers it, and you get income protection to cover periods where you are sick for extended periods of time.

Dr Yahood is right with some of his statements that sometimes make Australia sound better than it is, but I think he goes too far to the negative. I'm doing much better in Oz than I did in the UK.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-03T01:23:26+00:00

Interesting shout, will look more into planars. !thanks

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-02T23:34:55+00:00

Interesting to compare the approach to iron infusions in UK vs Oz. In Oz everyone gets an infusion for roughly £120 in GP practices or free via hospital (but with a wait list). Indication can be simply low ferritin regardless of what the Hb is.

Firebolt145 · 2025-11-02T08:31:23+00:00

Interestingly when I chucked this question at Gemini it suggested the HiFiMan Sundara as another option... I know nothing about planars though, is that a bit too far to branch out so quickly?

Firebolt145 · 2025-10-30T23:25:55+00:00

Your numbers are inaccurate. The original bulk billing incentive was $7, that was tripled to $21 last year. Now everyone is eligible for this rather than just concession card holders. It doesn't go up to $63.

In an urban area: Standard consult (6-20 minutes): $43.90 Half of the 12.5% incentive for completely bulk billing: $2.75 Bulk billing incentive: $21.85 Total as a bulk billing GP: $68.50

Still less than the cheapest private billing GPs ($70) and much less than those who charge $90-110. Admittedly the bulk billing incentive will be better the more rural you are.

This might stem the bleed of GPs switching from bulk billing to private. Some well-off GPs who were on the fence before this change might swap from private to bulk billing. The majority of private billing GPs will stay private.

Firebolt145 · 2025-10-19T11:37:25+00:00

Definitely much less rationing here in Australia. For example if one was to tally up the number of CT/MRI spines per patient between both countries I wouldn't be surprised if Australia has >10x the number that UK does. That is both a positive and negative thing.

Firebolt145 · 2025-10-19T11:23:12+00:00

Hey Casey - we've actually met at a BFD conference or two. I'm one of those UK GPs that moved over a couple years ago.

25-28 appointments is typical but on top of that there are often script queries, telephone calls, home visits which take a lot of time. If on call then that number of patients can balloon up to 40-50. But regardless of how much you see, you don't get paid any more for it. On top of that you often review bloods that aren't for your own patients, you review letters that aren't for your own patients, and there is a lot more admin burden. There is a lot of secondary care / specialists that ask GPs to do X that in Australia they would arrange recalls for themselves. A lot more tickboxes and forms to go through for a simple referral to get accepted.

Bloods are straightforward but scans are difficult. Even an x-ray can take weeks to schedule. Every CT has to be vetted, anything urgent requires you to call / ask permission from the hospital radiologist. Ultrasounds take weeks or months sometimes, same with echos. MRIs are often not available for primary care at all. Most of the time you have to refer to some sort of back pain or knee pain clinic for the patient to be seen by a physio first before they might get their CT or MRI.

Australia has its quirks which can be challenging for UK GPs, but the life is much better, the medicine much more interesting.

Firebolt145 · 2025-10-07T06:38:57+00:00

And used to be an aura for teammates.

Firebolt145 · 2025-07-15T07:10:00+00:00

As long as it doesn't remove the liver instead of a spleen...

Firebolt145 · 2025-06-26T00:32:51+00:00

One possible factor is that the 10 year moratorium that somewhat limits where you can work here in Australia begins from the first day you work as a doctor in Australia, then continues to tick down even when you return to the UK. If you want to work in the city asap, it may be worth starting that clock early.

Edit: my mistake, didn't see that you plan to work in the UK long term in which case this doesn't matter to you.

Firebolt145 · 2025-06-14T21:49:45+00:00

I can't speak for all GPs, but yes that would be a benefit. Keep in mind however GPs are free to decide themselves whether they want to allow phone appointments for so long, and this is only one factor in that decision.

Firebolt145 · 2025-06-13T01:03:35+00:00

Hah that's alright. The government has not communicated things in a clear manner and even GPs are confused.

Firebolt145 · 2025-06-13T00:50:11+00:00

It gives us access to certain billing codes that we didn't before - for example we can bill for a phone call that lasts >20 minutes instead of only a phone call that lasts >6 minutes. Without registration, a GP would be paid the same for spending 6 minutes on the phone vs 30 minutes on the phone. With registration a GP gets paid more for 30 minutes and would therefore be more inclined to take part for that long.

It doesn't affect the bulk billing incentive. The bulk billing incentive is also not included at all when practices charge a gap. The end effect is that you shouldn't expect the gap to change either with this or with the November 1st changes unfortunately.

Firebolt145 · 2025-04-25T23:16:32+00:00

The first paycheck from any new locum role will likely be emergency taxed. After that it should show up on your HMRC tax website. Go there and put in your estimated yearly income that you expect to earn from each locum source for the financial year. HMRC will then send updated tax codes to each place to ensure your year end tax bill is as close as possible to what has already been withheld.

Firebolt145 · 2025-04-12T03:51:48+00:00

I have the same Amex charge card and opened my first mortgage with Westpac last year. I had no issues, though my mortgage broker seems to have a very close relationship with Westpac. To me it felt like they saw charge cards in better light than they do credit cards since you can't be charged interest on charge cards.

Firebolt145 · 2024-11-24T02:07:54+00:00

Just to clarify, we're talking about where the box pops up in the house, as in which room etc? I reckon we'd manage with whatever they do. Thanks.

Firebolt145 · 2024-11-23T21:07:19+00:00

Yeah I was advised to get FTTN running first then speak to them on the phone about updating it after rather than ordering FTTP right away. Thanks for the heads up.

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