Men's Health Week: Funding for longer consults can make GPs one-stop shop for sexual health and HIV prevention
Royal Australian College of GPs
During Men’s Health Week 2025 the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is calling on the Federal Government to improve men’s sexual health by boosting investment in general practice care so specialist GPs can provide longer consultations.
The College says more funding for longer consultations would improve access to important preventive care, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), – a highly effective daily or on-demand medication that prevents HIV transmission in 99% of cases.
RACGP Specific Interests Sexual Health Medicine Chair Dr Sara Whitburn said practices can offer the most convenient access to PrEP for people at higher risk of HIV, including gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM).
“Resourcing issues mean some public sexual health clinics can no-longer offer PrEP,” Dr Whitburn said.
“That means specialist GP clinics linked with pathology services are often the simplest, most convenient way for men who have sex with men and other patients at elevated risk of HIV exposure to access HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.
“Offering PrEP can require longer, complex consults. However, Medicare is structured in a way that limits the types of consults that help patients access this vital care.
“Increasing Medicare rebates for longer consults will help GPs do what they do best – provide high-quality care, including filling a growing service gap for people at higher risk of HIV exposure.”
PrEP was accepted on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme on 1 April 2018, allowing greater access to subsidised prescriptions in general practice.
The medication has been in short supply since May 2024, but that situation should be resolved by the end of June, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Doxy-PEP is a post-exposure medicine effective in preventing syphilis and chlamydia, among higher risk patients, but as a new medicine with complex considerations for Australian prescribers, is not commonly used yet.
Dr Whitburn said while a doxy-PEP decision-making tool for practitioners is available, greater awareness among patients will help patients to stay safe.
“Doxy-PEP has the potential to stop the spread of bacterial STIs, particularly syphilis in the Australian context, but practices need patient-facing resources, including for men who have sex with men and other key groups,” Dr Whitburn said
“While New South Wales has created a decision-aid for patients, this isn’t yet the case for other states.
“Doxy-PEP is suitable for most patients, but there are benefits and risks. It’ll be important for GPs and patients to come to an informed decision, meaning more funding for long consults will boost access to this important tool for public health.”
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said LGBTIQA+ patients have a right to feel safe at every practice and reemphasised the value of long consults for preventive care and patients with chronic conditions.
“Men who have sex with men, and other members of the LGBTIQA+ community, would benefit from having a strong connection to health services and benefit from preventive care with a GP that would help address well-known health inequities,” he said.
“Boosting funding for longer consultations would improving access to not just sexual health medicine, but for the broad range of chronic and complex care our patients require.”
~ENDS
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