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Battler suburbs hurt by health inequality

Medical service: Frances Fazioli of Street Doctor. Picture: Dione Davidson/The West Australian

The so-called "health by postcode" chasm is widening between Perth's wealthy and battler suburbs, with people living in eastern suburbs facing alarming doctor and nurse shortages while the western suburbs enjoy plenty of both, a new report warns.

Research shows it is not just access to health services that separates the well-off and the disadvantaged, but also marked differences in rates of common conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and mental health problems.

The growing disparity is revealed in the first detailed assessment by Perth Central and East Metro Medical Local since it formed a year ago.

The report shows its catchment of 90,000 people in western suburbs such as Nedlands and Peppermint Grove have access to 230 GPs - or 2.6 doctors per 1000 people - and more than 7000 nurses and midwives.

But the 200,000 people living in a parcel of eastern suburbs that includes Midland and Beechboro have only 129 GPs, or 0.65 doctors per 1000 people, and just over 1000 nurses.

The Medicare Local report found wealthier suburbs have more public and private hospitals and pharmacies, while a quarter of children in eastern suburbs are considered developmentally vulnerable or at risk - twice the rate in western suburbs children.

Chairman Marcus Tan said health services were not meeting the needs of Perth's eastern suburbs.

"The disparity between west and east is very clear," Dr Tan said. "Western suburbs have greater access to GPs, specialists and allied health services."

He said the imbalance was alarming considering the eastern suburbs had more chronic illness and disease, including diabetes, mental health problems and heart disease compared with State and national figures.

The Medicare Local's chief executive Learne Durrington said a relocation incentive grant scheme was being used to encourage doctors to move to outer metropolitan areas, while efforts were being made to get more medical students to train in disadvantaged areas.

Australian Medical Association WA president Richard Choong said there was a strong economic driver in health care.

"We also know that the number of GPs drops as you move away from the CBD, and while it is difficult to get doctors to relocate from areas where they have built up their practices, it's more realistic to try to attract young doctors into outer areas," he said.

In an attempt to address the situation mobile medical service Street Doctor is targeting disadvantaged populations in the eastern suburbs.