GP crisis: 'People are struggling to pay the gaps the government expects'

Dr Fiona Van Leeuwen said 'people are struggling to pay the gaps the government expects them to pay for GP care'. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

The federal government's bulk-billing incentives aren't enough to cover the cost of GP consultations in urban areas like Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland.

So says the Hunter General Practitioners Association, which is seeking wider government reforms to help under-pressure GPs amid rising fees for patients.