Rural GP Clinics Face Growing Pressure as Kalbarri Practice Closes
26 Jun 2026
Kalbarri Doctors Surgery, the town's only general practice, has permanently closed after its owners said they could not find a sustainable future for the clinic. The town, home to just over 1,000 people, is now left without a local general practice.
Rural Health West said it continues to hear concerns about the financial viability of GP clinics in many smaller communities. The organisation noted that some local councils are now providing financial and practical support to help keep healthcare services available.
The Primary Health Network Co-operative also raised concerns in a Senate inquiry into Medicare access in regional and remote Australia. It said recent Medicare changes were designed mainly for metropolitan areas and do not work well in remote communities where healthcare markets are limited.
The submission argued that Medicare funding alone is often not enough to support general practices in Modified Monash Model (MMM) 6 and 7 locations. It also noted that corporate providers are often unwilling to operate in these communities because they are not financially viable.
RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements said the challenges facing rural general practice have existed for many years. He said some regional communities rely on state governments or local councils to keep GP clinics operating because Medicare funding does not fully cover the cost of providing care.
Associate Professor Clements also said the recent Medicare rebate increase did not keep pace with the rising cost of delivering healthcare, placing additional pressure on rural practices.
He questioned recent government investment in new bulk-billing clinics while some long-established rural practices continue to struggle to remain open.
The Grattan Institute has also reported that expanded bulk-billing incentives have not improved access to GP care in many communities described as GP deserts.
The recently signed National Health Reform Agreement includes plans to better identify areas where GP services are at risk of closing and improve coordination between governments, Primary Health Networks and Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said it continues to monitor general practices at risk of closure with support from Rural Workforce Agencies and Primary Health Networks. The department also pointed to increased rural GP training places, expanded specialist international medical graduate pathways and new workforce programs aimed at improving access to healthcare in regional and remote Australia.
Despite these measures, Kalbarri's GP clinic has closed, leaving residents without a local general practice and uncertainty about future access to ongoing primary healthcare.
Rural GP Clinics Face Growing Pressure as Kalbarri Practice Closes
Source: newsGP